Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Fateful Saviors
by SharpEyLogic
Summary: When natural disasters befall the world of Pokemon, conflict and calamity follow with it. With wild Pokemon savagely attacking travelers and the clues behind the disasters being vague, the world of Pokemon seems to be heading into an age of destruction. One day however, a mysterious Mudkip arrives in Tiny Woods with wild claims of being human. Could he be related to the disasters?
1. Prologue: Enigma in the Forest

PMD: Fateful Saviors

Prologue: Enigma in the Forest

All around me was darkness. I felt like I was floating in water, yet I could breathe normally. Was this a dream? I didn't remember falling asleep anywhere. I didn't remember anything actually. My mind was a complete blank. The only thing I remembered was my name: Alfrin. Was this a lucid dream? Maybe if I pinched myself awake, I could-

"Excuse me. Please wake up. You shouldn't be sleeping in the woods unless you want bugs to feast on you," Something tapped my side and I blinked my eyes open, seeing a clear blue sky and the bright yellow sun passing by. All around me were short trees. I guessed I was in a forest and a small one at that.

"Oh, you're finally awake. That's good. I wouldn't need to call the doctors on you," The owner of the voice smiled, amused. She was small and yellow, with red spots on her cheeks and a heart shaped tail. Despite my apparent amnesia, something in my mind told me this was a Pikachu. One of the most famous Pokemon in the world, "I found you passed out here. Any idea what happened?"

"I… I don't know. All I remember was that I was floating in a dark space like water and that my name is Alfrin. I was a human too," I suddenly realized that the Pikachu looked strangely taller than me. Shouldn't it be the reverse? I should be towering over her as a human. Did I shrink?

"A human? You're definitely not from town if so. Nobody's that weird," The Pikachu shrugged, "Because you look like a completely normal Mudkip to me"

I looked over myself, realizing that I was on all fours, my body was light blue and I had small orange spikes poking out of my cheeks. No wonder I felt so… watery. It was like my body wasn't completely solid.

"So if you're a human as you claim… do you have any idea how you got transformed into a Mudkip?" The Pikachu asked before pausing, "Oh whoops. I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Erdalla. Nice to meet you"

"Nice to meet you too. To be honest, I have no idea what happened. Like I said, my memory's a complete blank, aside from my name and that I was human", I tapped my head in an effort to try and knock up something, "Mm… Yeah, I got nothing"

"Weird. So you got amnesia? That means something hit you on the head REAL hard," Erdalla crossed her arms and murmured under her breath, "And that explains why you think you were once human"

"What was that?"

"Nothing. I guess I can help you find a place to stay for a while until-"

"Help! Somebody help me!" A shout came from behind me and Erdalla ran to meet the Butterfree frantically flying towards us in panic, "I need your help!"

"Slow down and breath. Tell me what happened," Erdalla said in a stern, but soothing tone. The Butterfree took some deep breaths and nodded before explaining what happened.

"A fissure opened up in the ground and my baby Caterpie fell in! He's too young to crawl out by himself!" The Butterfree explained worriedly, "When I flew down to rescue him, wild Pokemon attacked me!"

"What? Pokemon attacked you while you were trying to rescue your baby?" Erdalla gritted her teeth, "The natural disasters are getting worse than I thought…"

"Can you help me? You're a rescue team, right?"

"Of course we will. We'll rescue your baby and bring him back safe and sound," Erdalla turned to me, "Alfrin, if you know how to fight, can you join me? I'd rather not go in there alone"

"I… I think I can fight. I'll come along," Truthfully, I didn't have much other choice. Erdalla seemed to be my only way right now of getting answers and I needed to stick with her. At least I knew that even with my memories gone, I still knew how to fight. Just bash into the wild Pokemon with my body. Easy peasy.

"Alright then. Miss, just stay here and we'll be back with your baby. Come on Alfrin!" Erdalla ran into the forest beside us and I followed as quick as I could. When the shade of the trees fell over us, solid earthen walls appeared out of nowhere and created a maze-like structure.

"What the- What are these?" I asked Erdalla in surprise.

"Oh right, amnesia. This is a mystery dungeon, Alfrin. A magical building that changes it's layout every time it's entered. Us rescue teams are also explorers, bent on exploring mystery dungeons to hunt for treasure and glory," The Pikachu explained, "Naturally, the wild Pokemon here dislike us wandering into their territory, so we have to fight them if they attack us first. I assume Caterpie's at the end of the dungeon, so our goal is to reach the end to rescue him"

"... What? Magical buildings that change every time someone enters? Who even made such a thing?"

"I don't know. All I know is that we have to go through here to rescue Caterpie. So stop asking questions and let's go!" Erdalla urged and ran headfirst into the labyrinth of the dungeon. I did my best to follow her and keep her within my sights. If I lost her now, I doubted I could ever find her again. The Pikachu was thankfully slowed by the enemy Pokemon who snaked out of the trees to attack her.

"Jeez, took you long enough to catch up. Help me fend off these wild Pokemon!" Erdalla pulsed with yellow electricity briefly before calling down a single lightning bolt to smite a Pidgey to ash with Thunder Shock "You better know how to use moves by now!"

"I have amnesia. Cut me some slack!" Erdalla's harsh command style was starting to anger me. I didn't like being expected to do something if nobody told me how to do it. What even was a move anyways?

 _"Manipulate the water in your body to fire Water_ Gun _"_ A voice in my head told me. It was feminine, but I couldn't ponder on it for long. Erdalla was waiting for me. I felt a large mass of water gather in my mouth and I blew a strong stream of water at a nearby Wurmple, blasting it against a wall and knocking it out cold.

"The stairs leading deeper into the dungeon are in this room," Erdalla scattered a group of Exeggcute with Quick Attack before turning to me, "Before you ask, stairs are an integral part of every mystery dungeon. They either ascend or descend you into the dungeon's upper or lower floors and are always present, even if the environment doesn't fit it"

"Like how we're in a forest and that there are stone stairs that take us underground?"

"You'll see when we go down," The Pikachu looked slightly annoyed at my amnesiac nature, "Watch your back for wild Pokemon. I'll watch the front"

"Alright. I'll try not to disappoint"

We continued moving through the dungeon. I wanted to ask Erdalla why the dungeon looked the exact same, despite us going underground. Shouldn't we be surrounded by dirt and grime? Why was I able to still see the sky through the shade of the trees? Why were there even trees if we descended deeper into the dungeon? But I didn't want to irritate Erdalla further. She seemed to be conflict with what to do with me.

"A Pokemon who claims to be human and has amnesia. One that I've never seen in town before. Clearly not a Pokemon Square native," The Pikachu murmured to herself, "Mudkip don't live in the local area, so he couldn't have come from Tiny Woods either. Maybe he has something to do with all the natural disasters lately…"

"What was that about natural disasters?" I asked and Erdalla turned, surprised.

"Huh? Oh, you caught me murmuring to myself. It's a bad habit of mine," The Pikachu said sheepishly, "But I may as well explain. Right now, natural disasters are happening much more often than they should be. Caterpie falling into a crevice is an example of such. This is causing wild Pokemon to become agitated and attack travelers going through mystery dungeons"

"Any idea what's causing these natural disasters?" I asked and Erdalla shrugged.

"No clue. Some, especially the religious folk, say it's divine punishment from the gods while others say it's climate change. Nobody's completely sure and Pokemon are still investigating the issue," The Pikachu held out her hand and expelled a short blast of lightning at an incoming Pidgey, "Us rescue teams have a role though. To rescue the Pokemon caught in these disasters because nobody else would"

"You said the natural disasters agitated wild Pokemon into attacking others. What makes you, Butterfree and Caterpie so different from the wild Pokemon living here?" I asked and Erdalla sighed.

"I don't know what I don't know. Just be thankful that not all the Pokemon in the world are going mad because of these disasters," Erdalla turned her back to me, "The stairs are just up ahead. They should lead up to the crevice Caterpie fell in"

We went down the stone stairs and arrived in a small grotto with a deep jagged crevice running through it. It looked completely out of place and unnatural in such a peaceful forest like this. Fortunately, the crevice wasn't deep and me and Erdalla could climb out of it easily. It was just Caterpie who had trouble.

"Waahh… Where are you Mommy…?" The Caterpie sniffled, "Help me…"

"We came here to rescue you. Are you okay?" Erdalla called from atop the crevice and Caterpie turned, instantly shivering with fear.

"G-go away! Don't hurt me please!"

"Don't worry. We're not going to hurt you!" The Pikachu leaped down the crevice and landed in front of Caterpie without a flinch, "Your mother's waiting outside the dungeon for you. Come on, get onto my arm and we'll get you out of here"

"O-okay…" Caterpie climbed onto Erdalla's arm and she began scaling the crevice back to the surface.

"Alfrin, take Caterpie. It'll make it easier for me to get back up," Erdalla stretched the arm Caterpie was on and I took the caterpillar gingerly and gently, setting him down beside me. Erdalla climbed out of the crevice and we made our way out of Tiny Woods.

"My baby's safe… I don't know how I can ever thank you properly," Butterfree cried tears of joy when she saw us back with Caterpie, "I'm afraid I don't have much to pay you"

"That's alright. It's been dangerous lately with all the sudden quakes and fissures like this one. If you don't have much to pay us with, it's okay," Erdalla reassured, "I'm sure you have your own issues with resources at home"

"Can I at least have your names?" Butterfree asked.

"I'm Erdalla and this here is Alfrin," The Pikachu pointed to me.

"Thank you, Erdalla and Alfrin!" Caterpie squeaked and I went red with blush, mostly because Caterpie was staring at us with adoring eyes. Still, it didn't feel bad. It was like I was a hero. Or more like, Erdalla was the heroine since she did most of the rescuing work.

"It might not be much, but please take this at least. A token of our appreciation," Butterfree handed Erdalla three berries that she would later call an Oran Berry, a Pecha Berry and a Rawst Berry, "Thank you again. Good bye!"

"See you guys around!" Caterpie called and the two Pokemon walked away.

"Well, guess I'll have to say thanks for helping me," Erdalla turned to me, "You were able to pull off a move in the dungeon and you could be a serviceable fighter. Impressive for someone with amnesia"

"Praise isn't easy to earn from you, isn't it?"

"Praise is not something to throw around like dirt, you know," The Pikachu gave me an amused smile, "So since it seemed like you dropped in here out of nowhere, I don't believe you have a place to stay?"

I shook my head in denial.

"Come with me then. I have a spare bed for you," Erdalla led me out of the woods and to the outskirts of a town, which I assumed to be Pokemon Square. The house was like a wooden dome, with rough stone surrounding the base. Inside were four stone pillars holding the dome up. Outside the house was a courtyard of sorts, with a square plot of stone with wooden fences lining the perimeter. A basic mailbox was in front of the house.

"Well, here it is. A house fit for two Pokemon," Erdalla gestured to the mailbox, "Here's the mailbox, where Pokemon who desire the service of a rescue team drop requests here. Pelipper from Pelipper's Post Office will occasionally drop newsletters here as well"

"Where's the rest of your rescue team? I wouldn't think it's just you if you said it was a team," I said and Erdalla rubbed her head, embarrassed.

"I tried forming a rescue team, but nobody would join me. So I acted as a solo rescuer for a little while," The Pikachu replied, "But two Pokemon is the bare minimum for an official rescue team. I asked all except you, so how about it? Want to form a rescue team with me?"

"I don't really have a choice, don't I? I mean, I dropped into this world with amnesia and with how things are at the moment, it doesn't sound like I'll get help from anyone else," I shrugged, "Joining you could be the best way for me to find out the truth, so sure. You're giving me a place to stay anyways"

"Excellent. We should come up with a team name before we officially register," Erdalla thought for a moment, "Have any ideas?"

"Uhm… maybe Team Lazulian?" I offered, then bit my tongue, "Sorry, that sounds dumb. It was just the first thing that came into my mind"

"No actually, that sounds fine. I like it," Erdalla nodded, "Rescue Team Lazulian. Alright, I'll register us as an official team. You make yourself comfortable and get some rest. Your bed's on the left side of the house"

Erdalla handed me the key to the house before dashing off into town. I went into the house and shut the door behind me, locking it. I hoped Erdalla's knocking was loud enough for me to hear otherwise she'll REALLY be angry with me in the morning. Realizing my fatigue has just struck me now, I laid the keys on a table next to the door and collapsed on my bed. It was a hay bed like a bird's nest.

"Who even designed these…? They aren't comfortable at all," I groaned as the hay pricked into my body when I tried to lie down on it, "Ugh, I guess I'll have to get used to it. The only other option is sleeping on the ground"

And with that, I dozed off as the sun set behind the house. I prayed that this was all just a dream and I would wake back up as a human the next day. Interesting as it was, it was surreal to be a Pokemon. Despite my power, I felt so fragile. More fragile than I did as a human.

"Thinking about it is just going to keep me awake…" I murmured to myself, "Go to sleep and forget it all…"

My eyes closed and my mind faded into darkness as slumber claimed me.

 _Our team:_

 _\- Erdalla, Pikachu -_ _Leader of Team Lazulian_

 _Level 8_

 _Abilities: Lightning Rod and Static_

 _Moves: Thunder Shock, Quick Attack, Thunder Wave and Tail Whip_

 _\- Alfrin, Mudkip -_ _Newly joined member of Team Lazulian_

 _Level 5_

 _Abilities: Torrent_

 _Moves: Water Gun, Mud Slap, Tackle and Growl_


	2. Chapter 1: Lament of the Magnets

PMD: Fateful Saviors

Chapter 1: Lament of the Magnets

I awoke early in the morning. I somehow managed to fall asleep despite the prickly "bed", so at least one thing went well today. I was still a Mudkip, so that confirmed I wasn't dreaming though. I turned over and noticed that Erdalla was sitting at an oak desk beside her bed, writing on what looks to be a journal. That's odd. For one, I didn't think Erdalla would be the kind to write and two, how did she get inside the house? I locked the door and I don't remember getting up to let her in.

"How did you get in here?" I decided to tackle the second issue first. The first might be more personal.

"Huh? Oh, you're awake. I climbed in through the window," The Pikachu replied, as if she was saying the grass was green. She stood up and tapped the window nearby, "Just big enough for me to squeeze in. Useful for if I lose my keys and need to get into my house"

"Okay. Guess I'll have to accept that as normal behavior," I sighed, getting up, "What are you writing?"

"A diary. I usually like to write what happens on a day to day basis," Erdalla flicked her journal closed with one hand, "Anyways, I got our team officially registered yesterday. The Rescue Team Starter Kit should be in the mailbox by now"

"Hopefully there are some job offers in there as well. I assume this rescuing business is your main source of income?" I asked.

"You can say that. I already paid the property tax for this house, so the only things we really need is food and water. Apples and berries primarily," Erdalla walked to the front door, "Still, a job offer or three will be nice. It'll give us something to do today"

Erdalla went outside to grab the mail and returned inside shortly after, carrying a medium-sized cardboard package along with a roll of paper which I assumed to be a newspaper. I helped her unbox the package and found two red toolbox-like bags inside, with a leather strap to sling over the shoulder. There were also two badges with a fake white crystal embedded between two white wings.

"Oh good. Everything we need in one package to get us started," Erdalla picked up a toolbox out of the box and hoisted it over her shoulder, "Alfrin, this is the toolbox. In mystery dungeons, you'll find items on the ground that you might want to use and you can also receive items as job rewards. The toolbox and Kangaskhan's Storage in town are the places to store these things"

"... I'm hoping you don't consider spoiled berries and apples as "items you might want to use"," I said, but Erdalla shook her head and I sighed, "Should of seen that coming"

"Mystery dungeons are strange. They preserve organic items such an berries and apples, so no matter how deep you go, they'll still be fresh to eat," The Pikachu explained, "And before you ask, no. I don't know why mystery dungeons can do this. I only know that they can do it"

"Fine. I won't ask why," I picked up one of the badges, "What are these?"

"Rescue Team Badges. They are official identification that you're a rescue team," Erdalla picked up her badge and pinned it onto the leather strap of the toolbox, "They also reportedly carry magical properties that let the user transport distressed Pokemon out of the dungeon. Very useful for rescues in larger dungeons"

"Good to know," I decided not to ask why these badges had magical powers in the first place. I was sure I would get the same response from Erdalla. I picked up the badge and toolbox and pinned the badge onto the strap before hearing a bell ring outside.

"Hm? So early in the morning?" Erdalla walked back out to the mailbox and then came back in with a letter in her hands, "Let's see… the letter says "We heard about you from Caterpie. Please, we need your help. Magnemite is in trouble. A strange electromagnetic wave flowed from Thunderwave Cave and stuck two Magenemite together. That's not enough for a Magneton and it isn't complete as it is. Please help them pry them apart. Sincerely, Magnemite's friend"

"Why's the letter in all caps?" I asked as I looked over the Pikachu's shoulder.

"Dunno. Maybe that's just how they write or speak," Erdalla shrugged, rolling up the letter, "Either way, we got a job offer. Thunderwave Cave is fairly north of us, so be up and ready for a long walk"

"Isn't there a faster way to move across the land? Like some kind of ferry service?" I groaned in displeasure at the thought of walking. If Tiny Woods left me drained, a tedious walk to Thunderwave Cave would leave me weakened before I even entered the dungeon. And I didn't want to look weak in front of Erdalla.

"Sadly no. Nobody has invented a transportation service yet aside from paying the Pelipper a hefty price to ferry you in their bills," The Pikachu shook her head, "So we'll have to move on foot. Come on, let's go"

Two hours later, we arrived at Thunderwave Cave. My legs were aching and numb, but Erdalla was kind enough to toss me an apple to revitalize myself. It wasn't going to be quick, but at least I won't be dead weight in the dungeon. Two Magnemite noticed us as we approached the cave's entrance.

"BZZT! OH, YOU'RE HERE. GREAT! BZZT!" The first Magnemite buzzed in a robotic voice, "OUR FRIENDS ARE STUCK TOGETHER IN THIS CAVERN AND WE'RE TOO WEAK TO GET THEM OUT. CAN YOU HELP?"

"Sure thing. What floor are the two on?" Erdalla asked.

"SHOULD BE THE SIXTH BOTTOM FLOOR. BZZT!" The second Magnemite replied, "PLEASE BE CAREFUL AND GOOD LUCK. BZZT!"

"Alright. Alfrin, I'd suggest you be careful in here," Erdalla turned to me, "Thunderwave Cave is bound to be swarming with Electric type Pokemon and because you're a Water type, you're weak to them. Stay on your guard and let me handle the enemy"

"I HEAR MUDKIP HAVE THE ABILITY TO COMMAND THE EARTH, ALTHOUGH AT A SMALL SCALE," The first Magnemite said, "PERHAPS HE CAN BE USEFUL. BZZT!"

"Well, if he learns anything past Water Gun, he'll have to show me," Erdalla shrugged and began walking into the cave, "Come on Alfrin. Time to move out"

Turns out, Thunderwave Cave wasn't as Electric heavy as Erdalla said it would be. Typical field Pokemon like Rattata, Poochyena and Nidoran populated the floors while the Elekid, Voltorb, Plusle and Minun were rare. Even if they did catch us by surprise, it didn't seem like they knew Electric type moves, so I was in the clear.

"Strange. I haven't seen a single electrical spark fly since we've entered," Erdalla remarked. We were on the third floor now, facing relatively sparse numbers of enemy Pokemon, "Perhaps it's the electromagnetic wave Magnemite mentioned disrupting them"

Any item we found on the ground, we threw in our toolboxes. If I knew anything about towns, it's that they have shops there and it was better to get something free than to pay money for it. We walked through a hallway to look for the stairs when I heard a buzz of electricity behind me. I turned and saw an Elekid flying at me with its fist pulsing with lightning.

"Watch out Alfrin!" Erdalla rose her arm and drew the lightning from Elekid's fist like a lightning rod, turning the Thunder Punch into a normal attack. Before the Elekid's fist could collide with my face, I found myself generating mud under my feet on instinct, flinging it into the Elekid's eyes.

"Agghh! I'm blind! I'm blind!" The Elekid wailed before Erdalla knocked him out cold with Quick Attack.

"Huh, so the enemy Pokemon DO know how to harness electricity. I suppose not many have developed the power yet," Erdalla faced me, "But you learned how to manipulate the earth slightly, so at least you're progressing somewhere. Use that Mud Slap to clear out the other Electric types here, got it?"

"Right," I nodded. I was proud of myself. At least I can do more than tag behind Erdalla while she does everything. Now I can actually handle myself and fight.

"Oh please. Get that proud smile off your face," Erdalla scolded, breaking me out of my thoughts, "Yes, you're helpful in our rescue missions, but don't get so high and mighty. This dungeon is child's play, to be honest"

"O-oh… Sorry about that," I apologized, "It's just that you act so strict and harsh sometimes that I wonder if I'm just a burden to you. Do you ever warm up to anyone?"

The Pikachu sighed, "In time when they have earned my respect. For now, I'll consider you my trainee and it's my job to train the trainee. I could of left you to fend off the world and your amnesia yourself, but I didn't. Someone who's learning the ropes can't be a burden"

"Then can you at least be less… prickly and dry?" I asked, "You're not exactly making your trainee feel good about himself with that attitude"

"Sorry. It's just how my personality and nature is. That's not easy to change," Erdalla apologized, "You'll just have to accept how I am and work with it. I can't become a gentle lamb overnight"

"Yeah, that would be hard for you," I smirked, "Oh, I see the stairs up ahead!"

"Good. We should be nearing the end of the dungeon. That's where the two Magnemite are"

We found the two Magnemite at a dead end on floor six of the dungeon. The two of them were desperately trying to pry apart from each other, their grunts and groans being more ragged with fatigue. I didn't think machines could experience exhaustion, but Magnemite apparently did.

"Okay, you two. Stop struggling," Erdalla ordered, "We're here to get you out of here. The electromagnetic wave in this cave is stopping you from separating"

"BZZT! THANK THE GODS. WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO SEPARATE FOR DAYS!" One of the Magnemite buzzed "WHERE ARE THE OTHER MAGNEMITE THOUGH? BZZT!"

"They're the ones who sent us the request to come rescue you. They're waiting outside," I told the Magnemite before turning my back on them, "Come on. We'll escort you out of the dungeon"

We guided the two Magnemite out of Thunderwave Cave and they were able to separate with ease, both of them breathing a sigh of relief.

"OUR BODIES ARE SEPARATED. REJOICE! BZZT!" The Magnemite cheered "YAY!"

"YAY!" The other Magnemite cheered.

"BE THANKFUL YOU TWO," One of the Magnemites from the entrance scolded before turning to us, "YOU ARE OUR HEROES. TAKE THIS AS A REWARD. BZZT!"

The Magnemite nudged us us a small pouch with a handful of yellow coins, a light blue berry and a yellow seed. I wasn't sure how much worth the berry and seed was, but I'm sure Erdalla would explain to me when we got back to base.

"THANK YOU. SEE YOU TWO AROUND," The Magnemite nodded to us before floating away back to town. I took a look inside the pouch they gave us again.

"So I'm guessing these coins are the currency of this land?" I picked out a coin from the pouch and fiddled with it, "Pretty heavy for something so shiny and... bent"

"That's Poke, Alfrin. We use it to buy goods and services in Pokemon Square," Erdalla explained, "It's heavy because it's not actual gold. It's just iron coins with yellow plating to make it look appealing"

"I see. What about the berry and the seed? I doubt that would serve as anyone's meal"

"Let me see them," I gave the berry and seed to the Pikachu, "This is an Aspear Berry. It cures frostbite to whoever eats it. The seed's called a Reviver Seed. It restores a Pokemon to full vitality, but it only works when they are near death. It also has dangerous side effects if too much is ingested in one sitting"

"Interesting. Well, do you want it?" I asked, "I mean, I'm definitely going to be in a life or death situation more than you will, so…"

"I know what you're trying to say. I'll keep it on hand then," Erdalla clicked open her toolbox and tossed the seed in, "You can take the berry. It doesn't make me feel good to take everything the Magnemite gave us"

"You can handle the money," I paused, "There wouldn't happen to be a bank in town, right? Because you were able to climb through the window into our house, so that means other Pokemon can do the same. They can rob our stuff!"

"Relax. There's a bank in the square owned by a Persian. He guards the money he safe keeps day and night," Erdalla assured, "We can trust him with our Poke"

"Whatever you say," I shrugged, "Let's get back to town before the sun sets"

"Right. No complaining about your aching legs during our walk back"

"Come on, I can't help it! Please tell me we won't be taking rescue missions on such a large distance away from home"

"When you're a rescue team member, you have to sacrifice time, energy, sweat and blood to rescue your client. That is the law of our occupation," Erdalla told me, "We're doing this to save others and make their lives better. That convince you?"

I sighed, "I guess so. At least we're sacrificing our own happiness for them"

"Hmm… you do get so very whiny and selfish when you're tired," Erdalla flashed a light, amused smile, "Soon though, you'll get used to this. A walk from Pokemon Square and Thunderwave Cave is just the top of the barrel"

"And how do you know that?"

"My parents were a rescue team before and they took me along on their rescue missions to keep me safe. Young me being alone at home wasn't a good idea," The Pikachu explained, "So I can say I know long distance travel. I recall journeying as far as the Lapis Cave far east"

"Well, you're definitely more experienced than you let on," Conversation ceased between us after that. Both of us were too tired to talk anymore. Despite Erdalla claiming Thunderwave Cave was easy, she too was getting winded from the journey back and forth. I guess she didn't want to admit it because it would make her look weak. Leaders had expectations to fulfill after all. When we arrived back into town, me and Erdalla immediately went home to rest.

"I was going to tour you around Pokemon Square to show you everything in the town, but I'm too tired to teach and you're too tired to pay attention," Erdalla said, unlocking the door, "I'll go deposit our money and any leftover items. You can go inside and rest"

"Goodnight then. I'll probably be asleep by the time you crawl back in through the window," I said and Erdalla snickered slightly at my joke. She dashed into town and I went into our house, taking off my toolbox and laying it down beside my bed. I relaxed myself onto the hay and closed my eyes. Despite the prickliness, my fatigue won over and I managed to fall asleep fairly quickly.

"Whuh… W-where am I…?" I woke up in a dream-like world, with many swirling and changing colors. Softly, the colors shifted from green to yellow to pink, "Not another lucid dream. At least it's not pitch black like before now…"

"Alfrin…"

"Hm? Someone's here," I tried looking around myself, but the constant overflow of light was really distracting. I could hardly discern anyone in the colors, "Are you someone I know? Hello?"

"Alfrin… I'm so gl-"

Before the voice could continue, Erdalla's touch snapped me awake. I woke up to the Pikachu's face of both concern and disappointment.

"You were in a deep sleep AND overslept. What kept you slumbering for so long?" Erdalla asked, "I've been trying to wake you up for three minutes now"

"Ah… Sorry about that. I think I just had a dream while I was sleeping," I shook my head, trying to remember, "But I can't really remember what happened in there"

"That's natural. Anyways, I'll forgive you oversleeping because there isn't any requests in the mail for us," Erdalla said, "We'll have to go to the bulletin board by the edge of the cape next to Pelipper's Post Office to find a job. I can tour you around Pokemon Square along the way"

"Sure. Do you have any breakfast to eat first though?"

"I'll buy you an apple from Kecleon's Shop. Let's just go," Erdalla took my hand and dragged me off the bed, "Laziness and lounging breed a lazy teammate and I don't want that"

"Fine, fine! Just let go of my hand at least," The Pikachu let go and I got up, dusting myself, "Damn are you a harsh team leader"

"I have a feeling I'll be hearing this from you a lot," Erdalla sighed, "Anyways, let's get into the square. The shops are just about to open up"

The first shop Erdalla led me to was the Kecleon Market, run by a green Kecleon and a purple Kecleon. The two greeted me and Erdalla with a professional and friendly attitude, offering us various useful items for later explorations. We settled on an apple for my breakfast, two Oran Berries and a Stun Seed, since we were low on money. The shop below the Kecleon Market was Kangaskhan Storage.

"For a monthly fee of 800 Poke, Kangaskhan will keep our items locked up and safe if our toolboxes can't hold all of them," Erdalla explained, "Kanga's descended from a long line of storage keepers, so the 800 Poke per month fee is her being generous to us rescue teams"

"I'm guessing that's the square center, where the local Pokemon make announcements?" I pointed to the center of Pokemon Square, where most of the town's residents were mingling about and Erdalla nodded.

"Yes. The town center is the place to notify everyone of something urgent. Now right next to the town center is Felicity Bank, owned by Persian," The Pikachu pointed to the lithe, beige cat sitting behind a counter, "He stores any and all Poke we give him, for a monthly fee of 500 Poke of course"

"What about that pink rabbit Pokemon next to him?"

"That's Wigglytuff. He sells maps to other mystery dungeons at a high price. Should we save up enough money, we could purchase a map from him to explore a new dungeon," Erdalla replied, "Right now though, we won't be seeing him much"

"Below Felicity Bank and Wigglytuff's Maps is Gulpin's Link Shop," The Pikachu continued, pointing down to the building below the town square, "Similar to Kangaskhan, Gulpin's family has written manuals on every Pokemon in existence, which means that if you forgot a move in favor of another, you can always visit Gulpin to relearn them"

"What's the link part in Gulpin's Link Shop for then?"

"I was getting to that. Another service Gulpin does is link moves together," Erdalla replied, "These linked moves can be executed in quick succession, but drain more of your energy in the process. Of course, they also drain the PP of the linked moves"

"And PP is?"

"Stands for Power Points, a system that describes how every move can only be used a certain amount of times before you need a Max Elixir to restore it," The Pikachu explained as we moved closer into the town square, "And that just about covers everything. Makuhita Dojo is down south, built to train rescue teams for the real deal out there and up north is Whiscash's Pond. He's an elderly man who knows many stories and legends of this world"

"Interesting. So now we go down to Pelipper Post Office to find a job?"

"Yes. Finish your apple quickly and we'll leave. The jobs we'll be taking should be either in Tiny Woods or Thunderwave Cave. That's where most Pokemon are in peril these days," Erdalla turned her back on me and began speeding up towards the cape, "Come on! Pick up the pace!"

"Let me eat first!" I clutched the apple in my teeth and took off after Erdalla, straight towards the post office overlooking the vast blue sea.

 _Our team:_

 _\- Erdalla, Pikachu -_ _Leader of Team Lazulian_

 _Level 9_

 _Abilities: Lightning Rod and Static_

 _Moves: Thunder Shock, Quick Attack, Tail Whip and Thunder Wave_

 _\- Alfrin, Mudkip -_ _Lazulian's Newest Member_

 _Level 7_

 _Abilities: Torrent_

 _Moves: Mud Slap, Water Gun, Tackle and Growl_


	3. Chapter 2: Mountain of Metal

PMD: Fateful Saviors

Chapter 2: Mountain of Metal

The day after my tour of Pokemon Square, I was lying in bed, listening to Erdalla's light snores and the crickets singing outside. It still wasn't easy falling asleep on the prickly bed, especially since the missions we took yesterday were in Tiny Woods, so I had little to no fatigue to put me to sleep.

"Go to sleep Alfrin. It wouldn't be good for you to stay up until morning…" I murmured to myself as I stared up at the ceiling. I figured that if I stared at the wall or the ceiling long enough, my eyes would get tired and I could fall asleep. It worked, but I was immediately drifted back to the colorful dream land again.

"Huh. I didn't think I would dream up the same place again," I muttered as I picked myself off the ground and looked around. The space was the exact same as before, with multicolored lights changing every second, "I hear voices, but they're so faint…"

I cocked my ear and tried to listen to the faint voices, but I still couldn't make out what they were saying. Suddenly, the dream world began shaking violently as if there was an earthquake.

"Whoa!" I lost my balance and fell to the ground, "For a dream, this feels strangely real. But that's it. Just a dream. Nothing to get worked up for"

I watched the quaking world around me shatter and be consumed by darkness just as my eyes blinked open back to reality. I turned and saw Erdalla sitting at her desk like usual.

"How was your sleep?" I asked as I got off my bed and yawned. The Pikachu seemed to have finished her entry and closed her journal, turning to face me.

"It was alright, although the sudden quake last night woke me up early," Erdalla shrugged, "The disasters don't leave any area untouched, it seems"

"Oh, sorry about that! It was us who caused the quake!" A voice that echoed from underground called, "Apologies for disturbing your sleep! Are you Alfrin and Erdalla?"

"Uhh… Yes we are. What are you doing underground?" I asked, tapping the floor with my foot.

"Oh right, you can't see us. Sorry about that," The voice apologized, then I heard a distinct popping sound outside our window, "Hello! We're Dugtrio"

"Thank you for not popping up under our floor" Erdalla smiled lightly at the three-headed mole, "What do you need Dugtrio?"

"First of all, there was an actual earthquake last night nearby Mt Steel," Dugtrio began, "And during the quake, my son was attacked and whisked away to Mt Steel's peak. We can't possibly climb anywhere that high, so that's why I sought out you two"

"Who abducted your son?"

"A vilely vicious ruffian of a Pokemon named Skarmory. He took my Diglett all the way up Mt Steel," Dugtrio replied, "Please be careful when fighting him"

"Wait, we haven't even said yes yet-" I protested but Dugtrio interrupted me.

"Please rescue my son as quick as possible. We'll meet you at Mt Steel!" And Dugtrio disappeared into the ground, leaving both of us a little shocked. The request was so sudden that we didn't even have the time to say yes or no. I guess we had no choice now.

"Well, we better get going. Dugtrio didn't exactly give us the chance to refuse," Erdalla shrugged, "Mt Steel is a little northeast of us. It's not as far as Thunderwave Cave so I shouldn't be hearing you complaining about sore legs"

"Hey, I've gotten better since then. I was just a little… out of shape before," I bit my lip, "But we should get breakfast before we head out. I won't be good to fight on an empty stomach"

"Here" Erdalla walked to the corner of the house, where a basket of various berries and apples were bunched together, "Eat these along the way. We can't afford to waste time when someone's in danger. Who knows what Skarmory will do to Diglett?"

"R-right. Sorry" I caught the apple and Oran Berry Erdalla tossed me and clutched both in my mouth while strapping my toolbox over my neck. Erdalla did the same and we headed out towards Mt Steel, which Erdalla estimated to be roughly an hour and a half of walking.

"Contrary to it's name, Mt Steel is not actually filled with much Steel types, at least from what I know," Erdalla told me on the road, "It's an odd mix of Normal, Flying, Bug, Rock and Ground type Pokemon. Only the Beldum and Aron there are Steel type"

"So it's like Thunderwave Cave again where the majority of it's residents aren't the dungeon's type," I said and the Pikachu nodded.

"Except that now, it doesn't matter if Mt Steel is filled with Steel type Pokemon or not. You're still effective against them with your Mud Slap," Erdalla pursed her lips, "Although, I'm not sure how we can deal with Skarmory. I never heard of that Pokemon before"

Personally, I was a little surprised Erdalla didn't know who Skarmory was. Up until now, she seemed pretty on top of things and knew a lot about the dungeons in the region. Erdalla being actually stumped was a rare sight.

"We can ask Dugtrio once we reach Mt Steel. He probably knows," I replied and the Pikachu nodded.

"Hopefully his heads weren't underground when Skarmory attacked," Erdalla shrugged, "But even if we don't know, we still have an edge"

"With what?"

"With these" Erdalla opened her toolbox and showed me a dark red seed that looks strangely volatile, "These are Blast Seeds. If thrown hard enough, they'll explode with a force similar to a small bomb. Quite effective at blowing heads off"

"So much power in such a small seed…" I stepped away while Erdalla casually slipped the seed back into her toolbox. We walked a little more before we felt a minor rumble below us and Dugtrio popped up beside Erdalla.

"My, aren't you two slow? I was getting impatient waiting for you at Mt Steel!" Dugtrio quipped, "Thought I should pop up and tell you about Skarmory before you go to fight him. He's this deadly avian covered completely in iron armor. His feathers are as sharp as knives, I've heard"

"Oh, he's a Flying type? Excellent," Erdalla smiled before briefly buzzing with electricity, "I can handle him easily"

"Just take him down before he impales you with one of those feathers and you should be fine," Dugtrio turned to me, "Alfrin, remember not to use your Ground type moves against Skamory. They won't hit him at all if he's in the air!"

"Guess I'll be stuck shooting water at him then," I shrugged, "That's fine. I doubt splashing mud in someone's face would do much if they're covered in armor"

"Looks like you're confident to fight him. Good!" Dugtrio nodded before shifting himself in the ground, "I'll help you get there faster. Use the tunnel I made to avoid all the natural hazards here"

"How would we know that we're there?" I asked.

"I'll guide you there myself and I'll tell once we're there. Come on, time's not for wasting, you know!" And Dugtrio disappeared into the ground, leaving a wide hole for us to climb down.

"No harm in doing this. Dugtrio IS our client after all," Erdalla told me and jumped down the hole. I shrugged and followed her in. Being below the earth felt like home. Perhaps it's my affinity with the ground that made me feel this way, but I felt so comfortable being underground. The nice dry stone and dirt under my feet was soothing. Erdalla snapped her fingers and an orb of electricity materialized into existence, providing us with a bright light to shine down the tunnel.

"Agh! The light's blinding me!" Dugtrio popped up in front of us and averted his six eyes from Erdalla's electric orb, "Sometimes, I forget Pokemon like you can't see in the dark. Us Diglett and Dugtrio navigate through dark tunnels like this daily!"

"Just keep your eyes ahead and away from the light and you'll be fine. It's only us that need it," The Pikachu reassured, "Straight as the tunnel may be, I'd rather not be stumbling around in the dark. It's scary"

I didn't know much, but I did know that being afraid of the dark was a childlike fear. I stared at Erdalla with a strange look, but the Pikachu didn't notice. I decided to let it go though, since she was my commander and everybody had fears. Even if one of her fears was usually reserved for children.

Dugtrio clicked his tongue, "Whatever you say. Follow me and try to keep up"

Forty five minutes later, Dugtrio burrowed into a dead end ahead of us and created a hole for us to crawl out of.

"Welcome to Mt Steel. Diglett was whisked away to floor nine, I believe!" Dugtrio announced as we crawled out of the tunnel. The mountain in front of us was composed of both sturdy, solid stone and bits of steel and iron. It almost looked like a fortress, which was incredible for a naturally made mountain.

"So the peak is nine floors into the dungeon, huh? The mountain sure doesn't look like nine floors," I observed as I took in the grandness of Mt Steel. Beside me, Erdalla sighed with exasperation.

"You should know by now that a dungeon's physical appearance doesn't reflect how many floors it has. Tiny Woods is barely a forest, yet is three floors total," Erdalla explained, then paused, "You know what? Let's continue this later. We're wasting time"

"If you two are done, I'll be awaiting you here. Good luck finding my son and beating Skarmory!" Dugtrio nodded, then vanished underground. Me and Erdalla watched him leave before entering the mountain of metal. Just like the Pikachu said, Mt Steel was very lacking in actual Steel type Pokemon. I found myself fighting Spearows, Zigzagoons, Geodudes and Meditites primarily, along with the rare Baltoys, Beldums and Arons occasionally.

"You know, I can understand the Meditite and Tyrogue being here to train themselves on the Rock and Steel type Pokemon, but what business do Spearow and Zigzagoon have here?" I asked as I shattered a Geodude to rubble with Water Gun, "Both of them would be at the bottom of the food chain"

"It's hard to tell. The disasters have changed more than just the land around us," Erdalla buzzed with electricity before calling down Thunder Shock at an approaching Pinsir. Surprisingly, the Pinsir powered through the attack with mild injury and charged at Erdalla with Horn Attack. The Pikachu simply glared before headbutting the Pinsir twice in the fast with an electrified Quick Attack, bringing down the large beetle.

"How so?"

"With the disasters bringing ruin around the world, many Pokemon habitats are being destroyed," Erdalla explained as she countered an opposing Spearow's Peak with an electrified fist, "As such, Pokemon migrate from their destroyed homes and dungeons to other areas. Maybe the Zigzagoon and Spearow migrated here after their home forest burned"

"Ah. That makes sense," I swept up some mud into an Aron's eyes before blasting it away with Water Gun, finishing off the last of the pack of enemy Pokemon here. Mt Steel didn't seem to have wild Pokemon roaming the floors alone. It was like the local Pokemon formed packs together like wolves.

"How kind of them to form up in groups like this," Erdalla seemed to be thinking the same thing as I was, "Makes it easier for us to take them down since we don't have to worry about ambush attacks"

"Why do you think they form up in packs like this?"

"Well, from the packs we saw so far, none of them have a single Pinsir in them," Erdalla theorized, "I remember the last Pinsir we saw being attacked by a couple Spearows and Arons before devouring them, so it definitely wasn't on their side"

"So what you're saying is that Pinsir's the apex predator of Mt Steel," I said, then on cue, I turned to see a Pinsir charging at me with his sharp horns poised to strike, "Erdalla, help me out!"

"They're a persistent bunch, aren't they…?" Erdalla threw her hand forward, sending a horizontal bolt of lightning tearing through the rushing Pinsir. The beetle staggered backwards from the blow, letting me blast through with a Water Gun to his mouth, knocking him out cold.

"So much for being an apex predator," I said as we ascended to the next floor of the steel mountain, "The two of us kill Pinsir like any other Pokemon"

"Keep in mind that the wild Pokemon here aren't as trained as us. That's why Pinsir's natural strength dominates them," The Pikachu replied, "For us, we've battled more Pokemon than they have and we're also unpredictable. I doubt any of the Pinsir here have dealt with electrical and water attacks before"

"I see. Well, it's reassuring that we can bulldoze this dungeon like it's nothing," I smiled, "It'll save us energy for the fight against Skarmory"

"Which will also be a cakewalk, considering my electrical attacks," Erdalla closed her fist, generating a ball of electricity before disintegrating an incoming Beldum, "An easy job means easy money. Hopefully that stays for a good while"

"Agreed," I looked to my right and spotted a cave exit with light shining through it, "I think the summit's over here. Let's see"

We moved towards the exit and arrived at the summit of Mt Steel, a clearing made of smooth, solid iron. A large crevice leading into the dark abyss separated our piece of the summit from an altar with a large steel statue of some titanic golem. In front of the statue was Diglett, who was quivering in fear.

"Diglett, are you alright? We're here to rescue you!" I called and Diglett perked up, his eyes widening.

"Really? But how are you going to get across the crevice?" Diglett asked, then looked up, "Ah! Skarmory's here!"

A shadow passed over us and the armorclad bird landed in front of us, his iron feathers glistening in the afternoon sunlight.

"You! What do you think you're doing here?!" Skarmory growled in a voice that sounded like claws scratching metal. Which meant he sounded nasally and sharp, "If you're here to rescue Diglett, then I'll have to say they deserved it!"

"Why? What did they do to you?" Erdalla asked calmly.

"Every single damn night, they cause earthquakes that keep me up. I haven't slept in weeks!" Skarmory cried, "Those quakes are caused by the brat and his ilk running amok underground!"

"While it's true there have been a few quakes lately, it's not Diglett and his family that are causing it," The Pikachu replied, "A handful of them burrowing around isn't enough to cause a large-scale earthquake"

"Then who is it?! Who's causing the racket every single night?!" Skarmory demanded.

"It's the natural disasters that are-"

"Bah! Disaster this, disaster that! It's just an excuse for Pokemon like Diglett to cause quakes whenever they want!" Skarmory squawked, "I've had enough of this. I abducted Diglett to get some good shut-eye, but you meddlers won't leave me alone. Prepare to die!"

"Fine. If it's a fight you want, you'll have one," Erdalla turned to me, "Ready Alfrin?"

"Yep. Let's take him down!"

Skarmory squawked in anger and rocketed towards us, his peak glistening with light to indicate Peck. Both of us sidestepped the Peck attack and simultaneously blasted Skarmory with Thunder Shock and Water Gun. By coincidence, my blast of water collided with Erdalla's Thunder Shock, delivering an even more lethal blow to Skarmory. Crying out in pain and anger, Skarmory took to the skies and began flapping his wings rapidly, shooting down a storm of razor sharp feathers. I ran to take cover under an nearby rock while Erdalla used her toolbox as a shield. Several feathers dented the box, but miraculously didn't pierce it.

"You are naught but a common goon to me. Nothing better than the wild Pokemon in the dungeon," Erdalla intoned, weaving electricity in her hands to fire a spiral web of lightning into the sky. Skarmory swooped away to dodge and the Pikachu called a bolt from the clouds to strike, which Skarmory also dodged, "Damn. I need to catch him in the middle of an attack to strike"

"Steel Wing!" Skarmory began spinning rapidly in the air, firing down a bullet storm of steel feathers towards Erdalla. I generated a large mass of water in my mouth and ran in front of the Pikachu, firing the water blast to deflect the feathers. Meanwhile, Erdalla generated a golden electrical arrow out of the air and it collided into Skarmory, blasting him out of the air and careening off Mt Steel. His screams echoed through the empty summit until they faded away.

"Alright, Skarmory's down. Now let's rescue Diglett" Erdalla paused before looking at Diglett, "How can we get across this crevice though? It's too wide and risky for me to jump across"

"BZZT! WE CAN HELP!" We turned and saw two Magnemite arriving from the summit entrance.

"Oh, you're the two Magnemite we rescued from Thunderwave Cave, right?" I asked and the first Magnemite nodded.

"WE HEARD ABOUT YOUR PLIGHT FROM DUGTRIO. WE THOUGHT WE COULD COME HELP," The first Magnemite buzzed.

"WE WANTED TO REPAY YOU FOR HELPING US" The second Magnemite floated over the crevice towards Diglett, "BZZT! HOLD ONTO US TIGHT. WE'LL MAKE SURE NOT TO ZAP YOU"

"Hold onto us tight..? Diglett doesn't even have limbs to-" I stopped when I saw the strangest sight yet. The two Magnemite attached to Diglett's head like he was a metal object and lifted the mole off of the ground, a piece of earth obscuring what could be Diglett's feet. After Diglett was safely over the crevice, the Magnemite bid us farewell and flew down the side of Mt Steel.

"Well… that was a little odd. Regardless, we should get Diglett back to his father," Erdalla pulled an Escape Orb out of her damaged toolbox. Several steel feathers were still stuck to it side, "Get together everyone. This'll transport us out of the dungeon"

Erdalla shattered the orb on the ground and a circle of blue light enveloped all three of us, teleporting us back to the entrance of Mt Steel, where the two Magnemite were waiting. How in the world did they fly down from Mt Steel so fast? And more importantly, where was Dugtrio?

"Ohh… it was so scary being up there. Probably because I was so high up," Diglett said, "My feet still feel like they're walking on air…"

Silence. Erdalla looked at me and mouthed "Feet?" while the two Magnemite looked puzzled. I decided to cut the tension before it got awkward.

"Regardless, you're safe now and that's what counts. Now where is your father?" I asked and there was a brief rumbling below me before Dugtrio popped up in front of Diglett, "There he is"

"Oh Papa!" Diglett cried with joy.

"Diglett! You had us worried!" Dugtrio grinned, "You're not hurt, are you?"

"Nope. It was scary, but I'm alright. It's all thanks to Erdalla's team and the Magnemite," Diglett replied with a smile and Dugtrio turned to us, grinning.

"NO NEED TO THANK US. IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO," The first Magnemite replied modestly, "AND BECAUSE BOTH OF OUR EVOLVED FORMS ARE JOINED TRIOS, I FELT A LITTLE KINSHIP. AFTER ALL, POKEMON HAVE TO HELP EACH OTHER, RIGHT? BZZT!"

"Regardless, this can't go without compensation. Here is your payment, Team Lazulian," Dugtrio closed his eyes and a small brown box sprang out of the earth, "And now, farewell! May we all meet again. Let's go Diglett"

"Okay Papa. Bye everyone!" Diglett said before the two disappeared under the ground. The Magnemite nodded at us to say they were going to leave too before Erdalla stopped them.

"Before you go, I just want to ask if you want to join our rescue team," The Pikachu offered, "You two proved invaluable today on Diglett's rescue so…"

"WELL… DO YOU HAVE A PLACE FOR US TO STAY?" The second Magnemite asked and Erdalla paused, realizing that we only had our house as Lazulian property.

"... Unfortunately not. But if we do, will you join?"

"WE'LL THINK ABOUT IT. COME FIND US AROUND POKEMON SQUARE ONCE YOU HAVE SOMEWHERE FOR US. BZZT!" The first Magnemite said, "NOW IF THAT'S IT, WE HAVE TO GO. SEE YOU AROUND"

The two Magnemite floated off into the sky, leaving me and Erdalla alone.

"Well, we should be heading back home now. Tomorrow morning, we'll try and buy some camp supplies from Kecleon's Market for the Magnemite," Erdalla told me, "We can't have a rescue team with just us two after all"

"Agreed" I nodded, then glanced at the sun setting below the horizon "The sun's about to go down. Let's get back to the square fast"

 _Our team:_

 _\- Erdalla, Pikachu -_ _Lazulian Commander_

 _Level 10_

 _Abilities: Lightning Rod and Static_

 _Moves: Thunder Shock, Quick Attack, Thunder Wave and Tail Whip_

 _\- Alfrin, Mudkip -_ _Lazulian Apprentice_

 _Level 8_

 _Abilities: Torrent_

 _Moves: Mud Slap, Water Gun, Tackle_ _and Growl_


	4. Chapter 3: Sinister Rivals

PMD: Fateful Saviors

Chapter 3: Sinister Rivals

The next night, I awoke within my dream again. I was really getting tired of waking up in dreamscape time and time again.

"Here again…? I can never understand what I see in these dreams, so why am I seeing them?" I muttered as I stood up, cocking my ear to try and hear the voices. I've always heard distant murmurs in the empty air, but they were never loud enough for me to hear them.

"Alfrin… you are a-" Suddenly, a beautiful Pokemon I've never seen before appeared in front of me, flashing like a mirage. From what I saw, she had short green hair curling down her face and was wearing a white gown. A red fin-like spike was impaled through her chest, "You have a… role to…"

"I'm a what? What role?" I asked, straining to hear what she was saying, but she was rapidly fading away, "H-hey! Come back! Tell me more!"

"Just don't… all will be clear… soon…!" And then the Pokemon and voice faded away, leaving me seeing black spots until darkness overtook my vision once more, bringing me back to reality.

"Wake up, sleepy head. It's late into the dawn," Erdalla poked my side, "Why do you sleep in like this? Having trouble slumbering at night?"

"I've been having these weird dreams every night since I've arrived here," I replied, stretching on my bed and hopping off to face Erdalla, "Every time, I wake up in a lucid dream in a land of changing colors. I always hear distant voices in the dream and even saw a mirage of a Pokemon there last night"

"Really? What did the Pokemon look like?" The Pikachu asked, now curious.

I thought for a moment, "Short green hair curling down her face, long white gown and a red spike going through her chest"

"Ah, so you met Gardevoir in your dreams. Interesting," Erdalla pursed her lips, "Most men have… different kinds of dreams after they lay eyes on Gardevoir, but you are a different case. Having the same recurring dream for three nights in a row isn't natural"

"You think it could be connected to my transformation from human to Pokemon? I did hear Gardevoir say something like "Alfrin, you are a-" I explained, "I didn't hear the rest sadly"

"I'm sure it's connected. Gardevoir must be trying to communicate something if you keep seeing her" Erdalla chewed her lip, "But that's outside my sphere of control. Maybe you'll find out more soon"

"Hopefully. Anyways, is there any new job requests in the mailbox?" I asked and the Pikachu shook her head.

"I spent an hour and a half writing in my journal, so I didn't get to check yet," Erdalla moved to the door with me following her, "Let's have a look"

"Wait, weren't we supposed to shop for supplies for a team base today?" I reminded Erdalla, "I doubt those two Magnemite would be hang around for much longer, so we need to get them a place to stay"

"Oh right. I forgot about that," The Pikachu nodded, "Okay, forget the mailbox for now. Let's get to the square"

We headed into Pokemon Square and withdrew all the money we had from Felicity Bank to buy basic camping supplies from Kecleon's Market, including a tent, bed and equipment for a campfire. Once we were ready to set up camp nearby our main base, Erdalla noticed some commotion coming from the center.

"Something's going on. Let's take a look," The Pikachu urged and we headed back to the center of town, where it looked like a Jumpluff was asking a Shiftry and two Nuzleafs for help.

"Please! Only your gust of wind can help my friend out!" The Jumpluff begged, but the Shiftry in the middle adamantly shook his head. I tapped one of the town's residents's shoulder, Lombre.

"What's going on here?" I asked and Lombre turned to face me with a discontent look on his face.

"That little scene over there? Jumpluff's been looking for a rescue team to help his friend, but he's having no luck," He replied, "See that Pokemon in the middle with the pointy nose? That's Shiftry and his team is one greedy bunch. They won't accept a job unless they're promised good pay. I feel sorry for Jumpluff"

"I said it once and I'll say it again, upstart!" Shiftry growled angrily, "We won't help your friend out of the Silent Chasm if you don't promise us a hefty pay. And no empty promises. We want proof of your wealth!"

"Come on! Can't you help a poor Pokemon here for free? I'm sure it's no trouble for a team as strong as you!" Jumpluff pleaded, but Shiftry refused again until a authorial, commanding voice echoed through the square, freezing everyone in their tracks.

"Hold! What's going on here?" Pokemon made way in awe for a trio composed of an Alakazam, Tyranitar and Charizard as they walked into the scene. Alakazam looked Shiftry dead in the eye and he trembled in his feet.

"Wha- Team A.C.T?!" Shiftry gasped in shock, "What are you doing here?"

"I heard musings about a Pokemon refusing to give help to someone in need, unless they are given a large reward in return," Alakazam calmly raised his spoon to Shiftry's forehead, "That would be you, correct?"

"Uhm… y-yes?" Shiftry suddenly growled and smacked the ground with his leafy fan, "Fine! We'll take on the job. Nuzleaf, move out! To the Silent Chasm!"

And with that, Shiftry's team left the square without a fight, leaving all of us in silence.

"Amazing… Shiftry didn't even try to argue with Alakazam there…" One Pokemon whispered in awe.

"Team A.C.T is amazing. They intimidated Shiftry's team with words alone," Another Pokemon nodded.

"Well? Looks like you found your rescue team Jumpluff," Alakazam said calmly and Jumpluff jumped in joy, grinning.

"Thank you so much Alakazam! If you didn't come, I don't know what would of become of my friend!" Jumpluff said, "I'm sorry I can't repay you for this"

Alakazam chuckled lightly,"No need. After all, helping Pokemon in peril is in all of our blood and there's no price you can put on that"

"Wise words as always Alakazam," Lombre nodded, then turned to the rest of the residents, "Now, now, everyone! Let's not make Team A.C.T uncomfortable. Back to work as usual!"

Everyone in the square dispersed and Team A.C.T headed off to Pelipper's Post Office like it was a normal day. Perhaps the celebrity team resolved disputes like this regularly. As the team made their way past us, Alakazam suddenly turned and stared at me suspiciously.

"Uhh… is something wrong?" I asked. I felt like Alakazam was picking through my mind, reading on my memories and personnel. Sadly for him, my mind was blank except for the last three days of memory.

"What's up?" Charizard asked Alakazam and he shook his head. The mental pressure over my head seemed to have disappeared.

"It's nothing. Let's go," Alakazam said and the three left towards the cape. Erdalla looked at me with an odd look.

"Weird. The moment they got past you, Alakazam zeroed in on you like he was the next thing he was going to kill," Erdalla said uneasily, "Maybe he sensed something strange about you. Like how you used to be human"

"Who are those Pokemon anyways?"

"I always forget you have amnesia," Erdalla crossed her arms, "Team A.C.T is the most elite team in Pokemon Square, earning themselves the Gold Rank through their years of exploring and rescuing. They compose of Alakazam, Charizard and Tyranitar. Alakazam's their leader"

"What an uncreative name. They just took the first letter from Alakazam, Charizard and Tyranitar to form ACT. Could of gone for something better," I said, "Still, they look to be an impressive team"

"I guess they named themselves A.C.T because they are quick to get into action," Erdalla shrugged, "But I must say the rumors about them live up to be true. I could feel their authority and power from here"

"Yeah, they definitely aren't Pokemon to mess with," I gestured to my toolbox, where our camp supplies were being held, "Anyways, let's get to building the camp grounds"

We headed back to base and used an empty piece of land nearby to set up our camp, pitching the tent and setting up a campfire in the middle. Before long, we noticed the two Magnemite from yesterday behind us.

"BZZT! I KNOW I REFUSED TO JOIN YESTERDAY, BUT I HAD TIME TO MULL OVER IT. BZZT!" The second Magnemite said, "AND I DECIDED TO JOIN YOUR TEAM. BZZT! YOU EVEN HAVE A PLACE FOR ME TO STAY!"

"Wonderful. Welcome to Team Lazulian," Erdalla grinned, then turned to the first Magnemite, "Do you want to join too? We still have some money left over to buy another tent"

"BZZT! NO THANK YOU," The first Magnemite shook his head, "SORRY, BUT I DON'T WANT TO JOIN UP. I'M SURE MY FRIEND WILL SUFFICE THOUGH"

"Oh. Well, that's unfortunate," Erdalla shrugged, "But it's your choice. Are you two alright with going your separate ways though?"

"BZZT! WE HAD TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT LAST NIGHT AND WE MADE OUR CHOICES," The second Magnemite replied, "BZZT! I'LL STAY WITH YOU AND HE'LL GO BACK TO THUNDERWAVE CAVE"

"I'LL BE GOING NOW. HAVE FUN IN THE TEAM!" The first Magnemite blew off a spark of blue electricity and then floated off into the sky, disappearing over the sea of trees.

"BZZT! MY NAME IS ZEPLIN. NICE TO MEET YOU!" The Magnemite introduced himself, "I HOPE I CAN BE A GOOD MEMBER OF THE TEAM"

"I'm sure you will. Happy to have you apart of us Zeplin," I smiled, then turned behind me, "Now let's check if the mailbox has any- Hey! Who are you?"

In front of our base were three Pokemon: a purple spherical specter, a purple snake and a humanoid martial artist. They were staring at our house like they were trying to find the best way to destroy it.

"A Medicham, Ekans and Gengar? What are they doing here?" Erdalla whispered, unnerved, "I haven't seen them in the square before…"

"Is this it? Where that team named Lazulian is based?" The Gengar's grin was unsettling, like it was stretched a little too wide, "Hmm… it's a bit barren if you ask me"

"Yeah, there's really nothing here," The Ekans agreed.

"Depressing, isn't it?" Medicham chimed in.

"Keh! Who would run a rescue team with this dumpster of a base? Unbelievable," Gengar sneered and I heard Erdalla growl in anger from beside me.

"Tell us who you are and state your intentions. We won't help you if you continue insulting our base like this," The Pikachu snarled and the three turned to us, with bemused expressions.

"Oh, you look to be the leader of this merry band of rescuers. That's ni- Oh hey, a mailbox!" Medicham's attention snapped back to our mailbox, which the three rapidly rushed over to open and raid it, "Ooh la la. Rescue job offers!"

"Hey! What… do… you… think… you're… DOING?!" Erdalla yelled and thunder crackled through the sky, smiting the ground beside her with a angry bolt of lightning, "Give back those job requests! Those were meant for us!"

"Keh heh heh! It doesn't matter who does it!" Gengar cackled, "We're a rescue team too, you know!"

"We're not the conventional rescue team however. You see, being one as a cover lets you do so much more!" Ekans grinned, "The jobs we've done aren't for the faint of heart"

"We have our eyes on world domination!" Medicham announced and Erdalla's angry expression faded, instead being replaced by amusement.

"And here I thought you were a threatening force. All you are is just a trio of bumbling thieves, bent on an impossible goal" The Pikachu smiled darkly, "Now, give back our job requests and get out of here before I get really mad. And you don't want to know me when I'm mad"

"Really now? Why should I be afraid of a tiny Pikachu?" Gengar actually lunged forward, punching Erdalla square in the face and she crashed against a tree, "Keh heh heh! Arrogant fool who doesn't know how to pick her battles!"

"Erdalla!" I was prepared to fire a Water Gun to retaliate, but Zeplin tapped my head with his magnet.

"BZZT! HE JUST TOOK OUT THE COMMANDER IN ONE BLOW. MAYBE WE SHOULDN'T MESS WITH THEM! BZZT!" Zeplin advised and Gengar cackled wildly.

"The Magnemite's smart! You guys should listen to him!" Gengar mocked, "Come on boys! Gather up the requests and we'll rake in some cash for the gang. Team Meanies we are and the world will be ours!"

"We got everything. Let's get out of here!" Ekans nodded and the three dashed away into the woods. I was seething with anger myself, but Zeplin was right. There was nothing I could do against three of them. Especially since Gengar knocked out Erdalla in one strike.

"Urk… those despicable sons of a Granbull! They stole all of our job offers!" Erdalla pulled herself off the ground, her fist clenched in anger. Her cheek was marred by a nasty bruise, "And there were a ton of them too! We were having a good day until those scum showed up!"

"There's nothing we can do about it. We can't match up to Team Meanies now," I said glumly, "And chasing after them is fruitless. We don't know where they're going"

"Grr… I'm going to get my revenge on those dastards. I swear it," Erdalla took a deep breath and calmed herself down, "Emotional outbursts get in the way of being a good leader. Calm down Erdalla…"

"BZZT! SO WHAT NOW? THOSE THREE STOLE ALL OUR JOB OFFERS," Zeplin said, "MAYBE WE SHOULD CHECK PELIPPER'S POST OFFICE. BZZT!"

"Good idea. Hopefully Team A.C.T didn't take all the postings there," I nodded, "Come on Erdalla. Let's go"

"... Fine"

We headed down to Pelipper's Post Office and found two jobs for Thunderwave Cave. It would be a good experience to see how Zeplin fares in combat. Erdalla was a little anxious of Team Meanies raiding us again, so she blockaded the windows of our base and locked the door. After that, we headed out to work. During our mission through Thunderwave Cave, we found Zeplin to be a fairly fine combatant. His Thunder Shocks weren't as strong as Erdalla's, but they got the job done and his Sonic Boom broke down enemy Pokemon with low stamina like baby Pokemon easily. A fine addition to our team. When we returned at dusk, we received our rewards from our clients and wished a good night to Zeplin before heading into the base.

...

The next morning, me and Erdalla exited our house like usual, intending to check if Team Meanies raided our mailbox early in the morning. Before Erdalla opened it however, we heard a familiar voice call our names.

"Erdalla! Alfrin!" We saw the Caterpie we rescued on our first mission itch towards us with a frantic expression on his face.

"Oh, Caterpie! What's the matter?" Erdalla asked.

"Please! Can you help my friend?" Caterpie pleaded, "Me and my friend Metapod were playing in Sinister Woods, but he got lost. I think he's still out there"

"Oh, I see! I see! That does sound bad!" A familiar voice rang from behind Caterpie and Erdalla tensed, gritting her teeth and curling her hand into a fist, "Keh heh heh!"

As Team Meanies approached us, Erdalla glared hard at them, "What are you three hooligans doing here? Here to steal our job requests again?"

"Have no fear. We're here to save your chum Metapod," Gengar offered, grinning at Caterpie, who stepped away slightly.

"Hold on! Caterpie came to us for help! Not you!" I growled and Gengar laughed wildly, with Ekans and Medicham joining along.

"Keh! You think you can handle this rescue mission with your amateur-level skills?" Gengar taunted and Erdalla snarled, sparking with electricity around her.

"You think we're an amateur team? I'll SHOW YOU AMATEUR!" Erdalla threw a lance of lightning at Gengar, which threw him backwards. The specter managed to get up and shake off the attack, with anger filled eyes.

"Pah! Control your anger pipsqueak. You can't go far as a rescuer with that attitude," Gengar rolled his shoulders, "It doesn't matter who does the rescuing, doesn't it? All that matters is that the victim gets rescued, right?"

"That's true, but there are some clients who-"

"Hah! So you admit it!" Gengar laughed, "So step aside and let us do this. Caterpie, what do you say to letting us handle this? You can give the reward to whoever saves your little chum first"

"But I… I don't have any money…" Caterpie replied in a small voice.

"No need to worry about that! I'm sure we can persuade your parents to reward us with interest afterwards. Keh heh!" To emphasize his point, Gengar opened his palm and summoned a small wisp of purple fire that terrified Caterpie, "Yes… just a little persuasion is needed"

"Are you threatening Caterpie's parents to give you money?!" Erdalla cried and Gengar pretended not to hear her, shutting his hand to extinguish the flame.

"Oh right, I forgot. If you let us pull this off, we can even let you be a part of Team Meanies," Gengar offered, "That's an offer you can't refuse, right? We'll even let you be a big wheel here"

Caterpie didn't respond. All he did was quiver his lips in appropriate denial.

"Erdalla and Alfrin, that's the challenge. The first to rescue wins," Gengar continued, then turned to his comrades, "Alright, let's move it. Let's get it done!"

And the three left, leaving us alone with Caterpie.

".. What should I do? I don't have any money and I don't want to join those Meanies... " Caterpie mumbled, "Erdalla, Alfrin… please save Metapod first"

"We will. I swear on it," Erdalla promised, "And if we meet Team Meanies along the way, I'm going to kick their faces in and smash Blast Seeds into their faces. You have my word"

"Easy there Erdalla. He's just a child," I chided and Erdalla sighed, catching herself.

"Sorry. Just got a bit agitated by them. Nothing describes my hatred for Team Meanies," Erdalla crossed her arms, "Let's grab Zeplin and our toolboxes and get going. We have to rescue Metapod before Team Meanies does"

"Right"

Not too long later, we arrived at the Sinister Woods, which was appropriately named because the tall trees cast long and sinister shadows over each other and us as we approached the dungeon's entrance. I wasn't sure why Caterpie and Metapod were playing here, but that gave me a reassurance that the dungeon would be easy at least.

"This looks to be the place. Metapod should still be lost inside," Erdalla said, "Gengar's gang is probably inside already. Let's hurry"

When we entered the dungeon, I realized that it was a mistake to bring Zeplin along. It should of been obvious from the start, but we didn't realize until now that Zeplin's Electric moves are easily shrugged off by the Grass type Pokemon here. Erdalla's lightning was strong enough to stun them and let her power through with physical attacks, but Zeplin had to rely entirely on Sonic Boom to kill.

"BZZT! SHOULD OF LEFT ME BACK AT CAMP. WOULD OF SAVED MAX ELIXIRS THAT WAY. BZZT!" Zeplin buzzed as he fired several waves of white energy that tore a Oddish apart while halting an Exeggutor, "AT THIS RATE, I'M GOING TO RUN OUT OF SONIC BOOMS. BZZT!"

"Just leave the fighting to us then. We can handle them," Erdalla assured before frying a Sentret and Linoone pair with a pulsing sphere of lightning, "This dungeon doesn't bode well for us though. Grass types trouble us all"

"The Exeggutor are really troublesome for us," I nodded in agreement before turning to headbutt an Exeggutor backwards. The palm tree barely got its footing before Zeplin emitted another Sonic Boom to bust it down, "We should try to avoid them"

"Or use items," Erdalla spotted another Exeggutor attempting to launch Seed Bomb at us. The Pikachu flipped open her toolbox and threw a Blast Seed in retaliation, blowing the three-headed Pokemon to smithereens, "Fortunately, Grass type Pokemon don't seem to overpopulate the woods here. It's mostly Normal and Bug type Pokemon"

"Which we can handle just fine" I nodded, then darted away quickly from a Scyther's incoming slash, "Whoa!"

Before the Scyther could strike again, I rapidly shot a mass of water at him with Water Gun, sending him flying backwards from the impact while Zeplin called a lightning bolt from the sky to strike him down, leaving the Scyther crippled and burnt.

"W-wait!" He wheezed as Erdalla moved in to finish him off, "You're the p-people I'm looking for!"

"What do you want with us?" Erdalla asked suspiciously.

"I was looking for a rescue team to lend my combat abilities to. I thought you three were a bunch of random hooligans like the last three who came by," The Scyther plucked a Oran Berry from a nearby branch and ate it, healing his burns, "But you look like good and honest Pokemon. Mind if I join your team?"

"Wait, who were the Pokemon that passed by? Was there a purple ghost and snake among them?" I asked and the Scyther nodded.

"Yep. Those two and some gal with these weird bumps on her legs," The Scyther replied, "I didn't want any trouble with them, so I let them go on their way. They sound troubling to me though"

"That's Team Meanies. They just passed by here!" Erdalla told me, then faced the Scyther, "Do you happen to remember when they passed by and where they went?"

"They came by just a few minutes ago and I think they went north towards the stairs," The Scyther said, "I can't allow such repulsive Pokemon to roam our woods. Please let me come along"

"We could use someone who's experienced in this environment. I say to recruit him," I told Erdalla and Zeplin nodded in agreement.

"HE LOOKS STRONG. HE COULD BE USEFUL FOR US. BZZT!" The Magnemite encouraged and Erdalla nodded in acceptance.

"Alright then. Scyther, you're part of Team Lazulian now," Erdalla told him, "What's your name?"

"Salazar. And yours?"

"I'm Erdalla and this is Alfrin," The Pikachu pointed to me, then Zeplin, "And that's Zeplin"

"Good to meet you all. Alright, let's get moving," Salazar jumped onto a nearby tree branch up high like a ninja, "This "Team Meanies" shouldn't be too far ahead. We can't let them get away"

"I like your thinking. Let's go!" Erdalla nodded and charged ahead alongside Salazar, "Get moving, you two!"

With a new ally on our side, we charged deeper into the heart of Sinister Woods.

 _Our team:_

 _\- Erdalla, Pikachu -_ _ _Lazulian's Leader and Commander__

 _ _Level 12__

 _ _Abilities: Lightning Rod and Static__

 _Moves: Thunder Shock, Quick Attack, Thunder Wave and Tail Whip_

 _\- Alfrin, Mudkip - The Second in Command_

 _Level 10_

 _Abilities: Torrent  
_

 _Moves: Water Gun, Mud Slap, Headbutt and Tackle_

 _\- Zeplin, Magnemite - Lazulian's First Recruit_

 _Level 8_

 _Abilities: Magnet Pull and Sturdy  
_

 _Moves: Thunder Shock, Sonic Boom, Supersonic and Metal Sound_

 _\- Salazar, Scyther - Forest Warrior  
_

 _Level 10_

 _Abilities: Technician and Swarm  
_

 _Moves: Slash, Quick Attack, Fury Cutter and Pursuit_


	5. Chapter 4: Wounded Pride

PMD: Fateful Saviors

Chapter 4: Wounded Pride

Salazar and Erdalla led us deeper into the vast woods, with the Scyther easily cleaving most of the enemy Pokemon in our way with his sharp bladed arms. It was frankly amazing how easily he slaughtered groups of Linoone and Ledyba daring to attack us, as well as being the bane to Exeggutor with Fury Cutter. The only Pokemon Salazar had problems with was the Sudowoodo strangely.

"Alfrin, fire your Water Gun at it" Erdalla ordered and I looked at her, dumbfounded. The Sudowoodo in front of us was stationary and unmoving. It looked like a tree with eyes and a mouth. Why did Erdalla tell me to use an ineffective move on it?

"Erdalla, that's clearly a Grass type. It's a tree" I replied "My Water type moves would just help it"

"That's where you're mistaken. Sudowoodo are actually rocks posing as trees to surprise prey who think they can burn it with Fire type moves" The Pikachu explained "That's the reason why Salazar can't cut it down"

"He's got a body of stone right there. Too tough for me to cut" To emphasis, Salazar lunged and swiped his arm over the Sudowoodo with Slash, barely making a mark on the Pokemon's rough skin. Sudowoodo responded by transforming it's arm into a boulder and smashing it down towards Salazar, but the Scyther jumped back in time. I formed a mass of water in my mouth and fired, drenching the Sudowoodo to the point of it screaming. It flailed around like it was on fire and then collided with a tree, shattering into a cluster of pebbles.

"Well, that's another roadblock handled. Let's continue moving" Salazar gestured us to move "The Sudowoodo was blocking the stairs leading to the thirteenth floor"

"BZZT! HOPEFULLY THAT'S THE END OF THE DUNGEON. THIS WAS THE LARGEST FOREST I'VE EVER BEEN IN. BZZT!" Zeplin buzzed "NO SIGN OF TEAM MEANIES THOUGH. WHERE DID THEY GO? BZZT!"

"That's true. We didn't encounter Team Meanies at all while going through here" Erdalla remarked "Salazar saw them before we recruited him, so they must be ahead"

"Then we have to speed it up. We can't let them rescue Metapod first" I urged and we ran ahead towards the stairs, ascending them to find ourselves in a verdant field bathed in sunlight. A cluster of trees up ahead formed an alcove where Metapod should be. The lack of dungeon walls around us told me this was the end of the dungeon.

"Looks like this is the end of the dungeon. Let's see if Metapod is ahead" Erdalla decided and we moved forward before being stopped by a voice behind us.

"Hold it right there!" Gengar, Medicham and Ekans raced in front of us, blocking the entrance to the alcove "Keke! You know who's going to get to Metapod first? We are!"

"Ugh, it's you jokers again" Erdalla groaned "Despite getting the head start and remaining ahead when we recruited Salazar, you still ended up here later than us. Congratulations"

"Feh! It doesn't matter if we're here later than you. You still can't get through without taking us down" Gengar cackled "So we'll end you four right here and now and win the day ourselves!"

"Why are you messing with us all the time? What do you want?" I growled.

"Didn't we tell you? Our goal is world domination!" Medicham replied, pointing to herself "Caterpie's mama will give us a generous reward for Metapod's rescue…"

"... And Caterpie would join our team. That brings us closer to our goal" Ekans finished.

"Keke! And your lot is in the way..." Gengar raised his hand, summoning a sphere of shadows "... So I'm sorry to say, but your party's done for. Say goodbye Team Lazulian!"

Gengar lobbed the ball of darkness straight towards Erdalla, but the Pikachu countered with a short-range burst of electricity from her hand, nullifying the attack.

"I told you. We are no amateur team" Erdalla growled, her hands pulsing with angry red lightning "You want world domination? I'll show you how to dominate"

The Pikachu slammed her electrified hand onto the ground, unleashing a crimson shockwave of lightning that slammed into Team Meanies with powerful force, sending them sprawling to the ground. With a yell, Erdalla made the ground erupt into a field of electricity, shocking the trio into smithereens.

"You… you little piece of…" Gengar snarled, picking himself off the floor. The specter was covered head to toe in burns, but his eyes pulsed with anger "So I've underestimated your power. Too bad you did the same to me"

Gengar sank into the ground and suddenly appeared in Erdalla's shadow, slugging her across the back. I spat a sphere of water at the shadow while Zeplin called a lightning bolt, but Gengar followed Erdalla as she flew forward, straight into Medicham's Fire Punch.

"I would be merciful since you're a cute darling like me, but after that display... " Medicham tightened her fist "I'm afraid I have to use full force"

Medicham's fist erupted into flames in Erdalla's face while Gengar jumped back into reality to hold her in place. The Pikachu screamed as Medicham's flames torched her face and they were agonizing to hear.

"Get away from her!" I yelled, letting my anger fuel my attacks like Erdalla does. I focused, transforming my Water Gun into a spiral of water that hit Gengar like a torpedo, blasting him straight through a tree. I directed my fire towards Medicham, dousing the flames on her fist and punching her through another tree. Ekans tried to rush in to finish off the weakened Erdalla, but Salazar and Zeplin stepped in his way.

"Move aside. I'm not scared of you!" Ekans growled, rattling his tail to reveal a poisonous barb "I have teeth and a sharp tail and I know how to use them!"

"Please. Like a Poison Sting can do anything to me" Salazar lunged with blinding speed towards the snake, nearly cutting him in half with Quick Attack. Zeplin pulsed with electricity briefly before smiting Ekans down with Thunder Shock, knocking the snake unconscious.

"Ugh… damn it all. Stupid teammates can't do anything right!" Gengar growled, pulling himself out of the debris of the fallen trees. It appears he wasn't always in spiritual form as various cuts and scrapes bled ghostly blue ectoplasm "But I can finish this myself. Curse!"

An iron black needle appeared beside Gengar and stabbed the ghost. The same needle appeared above Erdalla and impaled her arm, making the Pikachu shriek with pain.

"Heh heh… while I cause myself harm with Curse, you'll take much more!" Gengar cackled, then turned to the rest of us "Go ahead. Finish me off. Erdalla's going to die regardless"

"You… you bastard! Why would you do this?!" I couldn't let Erdalla die. Maybe killing Gengar would dissolve the curse? I let fury and vengeance decide my actions and I yelled, slamming my foot into the ground to cause the earth to explode, raining molten boulders atop Team Meanies's heads.

"Heh heh heh… HA HA HA!" Gengar laughed maniacally before him and his team were buried under a landslide of smoldering rocks. The pits I created with Earth Power still remained, leading down into the dark abyss. But none of that even mattered. Erdalla was dying.

"Erdalla! Erdalla, are you okay?!" I shook the unconscious Pikachu's shoulders. The pain from Medicham's Fire Punch and Gengar's Curse caused her to collapse "Erdalla! Wake up! Please!"

Another needle appeared beside her body. Salazar swiped through it to destroy it, but his arm phased through. Before I could stop it, it stabbed the Pikachu again, making her groan with pain as blood frothed from her mouth.

"Argh! Does anyone know how to dispel Curse?!" I cried, desperate. Zeplin and Salazar both shook their heads in denial. I rummaged through my toolbox, looking for anything that can help. I found a Rawst Berry that could heal the burns on Erdalla's face, but that won't stop Curse from killing her. The only thing I could do is heal her with Oran Berries until we could find a healer. But that would just cause her more pain. What to do, what to do…?

"I swear to god, if you die from this Erdalla…" I watched in horror as another needle appeared out of thin air. I snatched it in desperation to stop it, but nothing worked. It ran through the Pikachu's body again, ravaging it even more "Gengar… Gengar, where are you?! STOP THIS! STOP THIS NOW!"

Silence. I was yelling for nothing. Gengar and his team were buried under the rocks I summoned. There was no way they were alive. But who else could heal Erdalla? Who else could dispel the curse…?

"I heard yelling. Does someone need help?!" I heard someone coming from the dungeon and turned to see a Chansey nearby "What's going on?"

"Someone's going to die by Curse. Do you know how to cure it?" Salazar asked, frantic. Upon hearing it, Chansey picked up the pace, racing towards the fallen Pikachu "Do you?"

"Yes, yes. I know" The Chansey nodded "But she doesn't have much time left. We need to do this quick"

"Come on, come on… stay with me…" I murmured as I force feed an Oran Berry down Erdalla's throat, healing some of the wounds on her body.

"BZZT! PLEASE, PLEASE, SURVIVE…" Zeplin buzzed quietly as the Chansey went to work, sliding the large egg out of her pouch.

"May the gods above us preserve you to continue…" The Chansey murmured as she held the egg over Erdalla's body "Refresh!"

The Chansey cracked open the egg easily, letting loose a soft blue light that washed over Erdalla. Another Curse needle formed beside the Pikachu, but it disintegrated the instant it made contact with the light. Chansey's healing was working.

"May you continue living to do more…" Chansey intoned, shifting the astral blue light from her egg to golden yellow, slowly healing all the wounds on the Pikachu's body: from her burns to even the most minor scrapes. When all of Erdalla's wounds vanished, Chansey closed her egg, sliding it back into her pouch.

"I… I can't thank you enough. Thank you so much for healing her" I told the Chansey "Please tell us your name. What are you even doing here?"

"My name is Erina. I'm a traveling doctor from the east" The Chansey replied "I had an escort with me, but he seemed to be lost…"

"Erina! There you are!" A Breloom ran towards us, stopping at the sight of the destruction from our battle "What… what happened here?"

"We were on a rescue mission and were attacked by a gang called Team Meanies" I explained, then looked behind me "Oh damn, I completely forgot about Metapod! Salazar, Zeplin, watch over Erdalla while I'm gone"

"BZZT! UNDERSTOOD" Zeplin replied while the Scyther simply nodded. I took off past the smoldering rocks and into the alcove, where Metapod was whimpering in fear under a log.

"It's okay. The fighting's over now" I said gently as I offered my hand to the Metapod. He eyed the smoking boulders at the entrance of the alcove and then me, all with fear in his eyes. I glanced at the destruction I wrought as well. It was so surreal that I could summon this much power. I was normally awed by Erdalla's incredible feats with her electricity such as the red shockwave, but I never thought I would do the same so quickly. A little Mudkip like me shouldn't have this much power.

"Look, I know you're scared, but we're here to rescue you" I told the Metapod "The Pokemon we were fighting were poachers. They would kidnap Pokemon and take them away from their families to sell them off. They are bad Pokemon"

"W-where is my friend Caterpie…?"

"He was the one who asked us to come rescue you" I replied, which brought some relief to the Metapod "Come on, let's get you back to him. Try not to get lost in a dungeon again, alright?"

"O-okay"

When I exited the alcove with Metapod, I saw Erdalla upright and being held up by Erina and her Breloom escort. Most of her wounds were healed, but an ugly charred spot covered her right eye, sealing it shut.

"Alfrin, Erina managed to stabilize Erdalla, but some of the burns were too deep for her to heal" Salazar reported "In particular, her right eye. It's permanently sealed shut"

"Ugh… blast it all…" Erdalla grumbled, trying to open her injured eye before quickly grasping it in pain "It feels like someone jammed a knife into my eye socket…"

"You're going to need an eye patch for that. Although I can't help with your one-sided vision…" Erina dug into her own toolbox and brought out a roll of cloth. She ripped a strip to wrap over Erdalla's eye "You'll probably need to buy an actual eye patch later, but this will suffice for now. Try not to overexert yourself for the next few days. You'll need time for your body to recover"

"Alright. Thank you for healing me" Erdalla nodded in gratitude "Do you intend to continue your travels? If not, can you perhaps join our rescue team? We could really use a healer like you"

"I'm sorry. Me and Howard have an urgent errand to attend to. We were traveling south to heal a relative of mine who lives in the Desert Region" Erina explained "I'm sorry that we can't join you, but I hope we can meet again"

"Oh alright. That's fine" Erdalla nodded "I understand that family comes first. I'm sorry we delayed you. Please getting going right away"

"Right. There's an exit right of us that should take us south. Let's go Erina" Howard said and the pair went on their way.

"Is your eye alright?" I asked Erdalla. The Pikachu stood tall and confident like usual, but I knew her long enough to see that she was shaken internally and that her pride was stomped to the ground. I knew she hated to lose and especially hated being thrown around by Team Meanies. Her next words came out shakier than I thought.

"It's fine. As long as one eye is working, I can still push forward" The Pikachu replied, gently touching her eye patch "I'm going to need to buy a permanent one when we get back home, but that's alright. We still saved Metapod, right?"

"Yeah, we did. Let's get the little guy back to Pokemon Square" I nodded "He's seen… a little too much carnage for his age. I'm a bit sorry for him"

"If those dastards haven't shown up, none of this would of happened" Erdalla growled, then glanced at the boulders I summoned with Earth Power "But you know what? Even though I couldn't get my revenge myself, you still vanquished them for good. They won't be disturbing anyone ever again"

"... That's strange. I checked the boulders briefly while Erina was healing you and I didn't see Ekans or Medicham's bodies" Salazar pointed out "They could of been fully buried under the rocks, but I was hoping to find at least an arm sticking out or a burnt leg. But no traces of them were there"

"BZZT! GENGAR IS UNDERSTANDABLE SINCE HE'S A GHOST, BUT MEDICHAM AND EKANS ARE SUSPICIOUS. BZZT!" Zeplin buzzed "MAYBE GENGAR MANAGED TO PULL THEM OUT OF THERE"

"I really hope not because if I see them again…" Erdalla clenched her fist, then slumped unexpectedly "Nevermind. Alfrin, do you mind if I talk to you privately once we get home?"

"Huh? Uhh, sure" I didn't know what was so secretive that she couldn't tell Salazar and Zeplin too, but the Scyther and Magnemite wisely didn't press "Anyways, let's get Metapod back home"

"Yay! Welcome back Metapod!" Caterpie cheered when we returned. Metapod gave Caterpie a grin as well, but gestured towards Erdalla, frowning.

"Huh? What's the matt- Oh!" Caterpie gasped in horror "Erdalla, what happened to your eye?"

"We met Team Meanies in the woods. Medicham Fire Punched my face" The Pikachu replied "It's fine. Nothing you need to worry about"

"You went through so much to rescue Metapod and even got hurt. But I don't have any money…" Caterpie slumped "I'm so sorry!"

"It's okay Caterpie. It's like Alakazam said back in the town center" I said "Helping Pokemon in peril is in our blood and there's no price you can put on that. You don't need to repay us"

"B-but Erdalla got hurt! Really badly!" Caterpie replied, frantic and the Pikachu sighed.

"That's enough. You two, go on and tell Metapod's parents he's safe. Stop worrying about my injury" Erdalla ordered "I can handle it on my own. You don't need to repay me"

"O-oh, alright. Thank you!" Caterpie nodded and the two ran off back into the square. Zeplin went back to camp while Erdalla told me and Salazar to buy an eye patch and another tent to house the Scyther. The Pikachu went back into our base, slamming the door behind her.

"I've only known her for a day, but I have a feeling she's very shaken up by this experience" Salazar told me along the way "I get the feeling she's very prideful, right?"

"She is. She may not say it, but Erdalla's very confident in her abilities as a fighter and a leader. One of those aspects was wounded heavily by Team Meanies today" I replied "Now I suspect Erdalla's doubting her strength. Previously, she squashed every enemy Pokemon that stood in her way"

"And the only one who matched her power is Gengar" The Scyther guessed and I nodded "Yeah, I can see how that can throw you off course"

"Luckily, Team Meanies is out of the picture now. I hope so, at least" I continued "They shouldn't cause us trouble anymore"

"Still, I think Erdalla needs to learn that there are always going to be stronger Pokemon than her. She can't handle everything on her own" Salazar said "But that's something you'll have to tell her. First, the eye patch and tent"

"Right"

Much later after we set up the tent for Salazar and nightfall came, I went back to base to find Erdalla writing in her journal.

"So… what was it you wanted to talk to me about?" I asked as I tossed her new eye patch on her desk. The Pikachu closed her book to unravel the bandage around her eye, revealing that it was still charred and sealed shut.

"You know… since you've came here, I've been an arrogant and provocative person. I thought I could take on anyone and defeat anything. I let Gengar and Team Meanies get the best of my emotions and in my rage, I thought I could single handedly get my revenge" Erdalla wrapped the eye patch over her injured eye "But I didn't and this wound is a reminder of my arrogance. I've been too harsh on you Alfrin. I just wanted to put up the front of an invincible leader"

"Erdalla… you don't need to put up that front. I already respect you for your confidence, charisma and strength. You're a wonderful leader. You don't need to play god to earn our respect" I replied "I think this experience was a good lesson for you"

"That I can't defeat every problem on my own. I have teammates beside me for a reason" The Pikachu finished "Yes, I know that Alfrin. I also need to control my emotions better. They led me to doing reckless things such as attacking Gengar or draining all my energy for the red shockwave back at the woods"

"I have a different view on that. You need to manipulate your emotions better and not let them decide your actions" I said "Didn't you notice? Every time you're angry, your attacks become stronger. You created that shockwave and field of electricity with your anger. I caused the earth to explode thanks to my rage"

"And you shot that tornado of water as well" Erdalla added "Yes, I think I understand. I should let rage fuel my power, but not to the point of controlling me. Is that right?"

"Yes. You're capable of devastating attacks Erdalla, but you have a tendency to use them when under intense anger. That causes you to run out of energy quickly" I explained "In the future, I want to see you using your power for more tactical uses. Like when you fired that web of lightning at Skamory to cover a larger area in the air"

"I understand. Thank you Alfrin" Erdalla suddenly hugged me "I've thought of you as inferior to me before, but now… now I see you as my equal. You're the first person to have joined Team Lazulian and now you're its co-leader. I can't hold the burden of leadership by myself all the time. You're a true friend to me"

"T-thank you Erdalla. I didn't think I would be hearing this from you" I embraced the Pikachu back "But I hope I'll be a serviceable co-leader for our team"

"You already are. Salazar told me on the road while you were talking with Zeplin that you took charge of the operation while I was down" Erdalla replied "You acted with so much confidence and boldness that Salazar saw a bit of me in you. You're a fine co-leader already"

"If you say so" I let go of the Pikachu and walked towards my bed "Let's get some rest. We've got work to do tomorrow"

I turned back to Erdalla "You're well enough to still fight, right?"

"Of course I am. It's only half of my vision that's gone" The Pikachu shrugged "I can still handle myself given one night of rest. Don't worry about me"

"Alright. If you feel you're okay, then I shouldn't press" I nodded "Goodnight Erdalla"

"Goodnight Alfrin. And thank you"

The next morning, I woke up earlier than Erdalla for the first time. I headed outside to check the mail when a Jumpluff floated towards me on the spring winds.

"Excuse me. Is rescue team Lazulian here?" The Jumpluff asked and I nodded. Wasn't this the same Jumpluff from the town center yesterday…?

"That's right. Hey… aren't you the same Jumpluff from the square yesterday?" I asked "We saw Shiftry take your rescue job at Silent Chasm"

"Yes, but Shiftry's team hasn't returned yet and it's been a full day. I'm getting worried" Jumpluff replied "I came here to ask your team if you can check on Shiftry's team"

"Okay, tell us the original situation first"

"Well, my friend Jumpluff is wedged in between a pair of rocks. Us Jumpluff can go anywhere as long as there's wind, but oddly, winds down at the chasm haven't blown" Jumpluff explained "The skies was filled with thunderclouds, but nothing happened"

"Not even a little breeze?" I asked and Jumpluff shook its head "That IS strange…"

"Shiftry's leafy fans can whip up powerful winds. I thought he could help dislodge my friend, but they haven't returned yet" Jumpluff continued "I know Silent Chasm well. It's not a long dungeon and it's not even that far from here. Yet why does Shiftry take more than a day to come back?"

"That sounds concerning. We'll check it out for you" Erdalla was suddenly at the door, looking well rested "Alfrin, wake up Salazar and Zeplin and tell them our mission today. I'll be preparing the toolboxes"

"Right away. Jumpluff, we're taking the job and we'll find your friend for you" I promised and Jumpluff grinned with joy "Just wait at the square. We'll be back by… noon or so"

"Okay. Good luck!" Jumpluff nodded and bounced back to the square. Later, after all of were finished eating breakfast, we were ready to leave.

"Alright everyone. The Silent Chasm is a little northeast from here. It's not a long or hard dungeon according to Jumpluff, but be on your guard regardless. Something there must of caught Shiftry" Erdalla said "If all of us are ready, let's go. Team Lazulian, move out!"

 _Our team:_

 _\- Erdalla, Pikachu_

 _Level 13_

 _Reformed Commander_

 _Moves: Thunder Shock, Quick Attack, Thunder Wave and Tail Whip_

 _\- Alfrin, Mudkip_

 _Level 12_

 _Lazulian Co-Leader_

 _Moves: Water Gun, Mud Slap, Headbutt and Tackle_

 _\- Zeplin, Magnemite_

 _Level 9_

 _First Recruit_

 _Moves: Thunder Shock, Sonic Boom, Supersonic and Metal Sound_

 _\- Salazar, Scyther_

 _Level 11_

 _Reliable Warrior_

 _Moves: Slash, Fury Cutter, Quick Attack and Pursuit_

 **Merry Christmas everyone (at the time of posting this chapter) I hope all of you are having a good time with family and friends over the holidays! So normally, the boss fight against Team Meanies here is a joke since Blast Seeds decimate anything at this stage in the game, but I wanted it to be more intense and personal this time. Medicham and Ekans remain the "tough, but not really" kind of Pokemon, but I wanted Gengar to match his evolutionary power and be on par with Erdalla, who's been shown to be pretty powerful herself lately. Erina and Howard will reappear in the story later as well, in case you were wondering. Coming up next is the search for Shiftry's team at the Silent Chasm. If you want to be notified of when a new chapter comes out, favorite and follow. If you want to give me constructive criticism or praise, leave a review. Until next time!  
**


	6. Chapter 5: Silent Omen

PMD: Fateful Saviors

Chapter 5: Silent Omen

We arrived at the Silent Chasm later into the morning, which sat nearby the famous Mt Thunder. Fog and mist shrouded the chasm as we hiked up the small mountain leading into the dungeon itself. The area itself looked foreboding and grand, contrary to the simple and easy nature of the dungeon Jumpluff described to us.

"Hmm… the cliff's steep and this entire area feels barren and mountainous. I hope Jumpluff wasn't lying when he said this dungeon was going to be easy" Erdalla noted when we located the dungeon entrance "He DID say that Silent Chasm has less floors than the Sinister Woods though"

"Funny how a forest is bigger than a literal chasm, dungeon wise" I remarked "But the faster we complete the mission, the better. I don't like having to watch my back constantly for ambushing Pokemon"

"Nobody does. I asked some nearby residents about the chasm and they told me it's only nine floors long" Salazar told me "So we won't be staying long here"

"That's good. Everyone, our objective is to get to the ninth floor of the dungeon and investigate what happened to Shiftry and his team. Afterwards, we'll report back to Jumpluff" Erdalla instructed "Understood? Then let's get going"

"Wait!" Suddenly, we heard Jumpluff's voice behind us and turned to see the cotton weed Pokemon fly down towards us in the talons of a ferry Pelipper "I forgot to tell you guys something before you left. While I said this dungeon was easy, rumor has it that a terrifying monster lives here"

"A monster you say? Do you believe that it could of snatched up Shiftry?" Erdalla asked.

"It's possible. So I suggest that you four keep on your toes. Whatever happened to Shiftry can't be good" Jumpluff shook his head "Anyways, good luck and stay saf- Hey Erdalla… are you okay?"

I glanced at the Pikachu and she was clutching her stomach like she was having a stomach ache.

"It's n-nothing. I think my breakfast was spoiled or something…!" Erdalla groaned "It could of been Medicham's Fire Punch or Gengar's Curse messing up my internal organs. Give me a moment…!"

The Pikachu turned green and ran to the edge of the cliff to throw up. I guess Erina hasn't fully managed to heal Erdalla. That or a full night of rest wasn't enough to completely recover.

"Erg… if you're not feeling good, you don't need to do this. I'm sure your teammates can do this on their own" Jumpluff said worriedly and the Pikachu shook her head, taking a handkerchief out of her toolbox to wipe her mouth.

"No, no, I'm fine. Just need to get my bearings" Erdalla replied gustily "Anyways, we'll see what we can find about Shiftry's team and this rumored monster. Just sit tight in Pokemon Square and wait for us to come back"

"Alright. I'll see you by noon, like you said" Jumpluff nodded and gestured to the Pelipper ferry to take him back home. The Jumpluff must be rich if he can afford transportation like that.

"Well anyways, let's get going inside" Erdalla stared at all of us "What? I'm fine everyone. The apple I ate today must've gotten bad overnight"

"BZZT! I DON'T KNOW. YOU SEEM A BIT… WEAKER THAN USUAL TODAY, ERDALLA" Zeplin commented "MAYBE IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR YOU TO LET US FIGHT IN THE FRONT. BZZT!"

"Absolutely not. I will not let my teammates fight for my sake. I will stay in the front like usual to lead us" The Pikachu said firmly.

"Still, keep an eye on yourself. If you start feeling queasy or addled, just retreat behind us and let us handle the enemies. Don't go too hard on yourself" I advised "And there's no room or time to argue. Let's go before noon strikes"

We entered the dungeon, which was mostly filled with Bug type Pokemon like Weedle, Yanma, Dustox and Spinarak oddly. I expected a chasm like this to be filled with Rock, Ground, Steel and maybe the occasional Fighting type. Not bugs.

"What are all these bugs doing here? There are hardly any vegetation here in the chasm" I pointed out as I shot a Beedrill down with Water Gun, straight into Salazar's Slash "Not only that, there are like zero Rock and Ground types here"

"It's the disasters" Erdalla said "They destroy the habitats of Pokemon and force them to move elsewhere. Perhaps a forest was around here once, where all the bugs lived"

"And it got swallowed by a disaster so the Pokemon migrated to Silent Chasm" Salazar finished "But what about the Rock and Ground type Pokemon? What happened to them?"

"Hard to tell. If the Rock and Ground types were still here, they would of droven the bugs to extinction" The Pikachu replied "But it seems like most of them moved out, which is why the bugs dominate the chasm"

"BZZT! BUGS OR ROCKS, NEITHER ARE GOOD FOR ME. BZZT!" Zeplin growled while trying to land a Thunder Shock on a Weedle. Thanks to it's small size though, Zeplin found himself missing a lot "EVERYTHING IS SO HARD TO HIT. BZZT!"

"Electric attacks, especially those cast from above, are more effective on bigger targets" Erdalla gestured to Salazar before slugging a Hourdour in the face with an electrified fist "Salazar, take care of the smaller targets. You have experience with that already"

"Got it" With ninja-like movement, the Scyther easily cleaved most of the bugs in our way with his bladed arms. If I were human, no doubt would I be able to crush these bugs under my feet. Alas, I'm much smaller as a Mudkip so these tiny Weedles, Paras and Glooms could actually harm me before I could kill them.

"I see that wishful and smug look on your face" Erdalla snapped me out of my thoughts "Don't go underestimating these bugs simply because they're small. Bug and Grass type Pokemon can cripple you in more ways than just cutting flesh"

"What do you me-" I was interrupted when a Gloom headbutted me, colliding me into Erdalla and skittering both of us back. I fired a burst of water from my mouth while Erdalla launched lightning from her hands, but before both attacks reached the Gloom, a Houndour raced over and snatched it into his mouth, chomping on it whole before running away.

"Pursue him Salazar. He might be running to get his friends!" I called, but Erdalla stopped us both.

"Stop. Just wait for it" The Pikachu ordered and we watched the Houndour run away until it stiffened and collapsed on the ground, slowly expanding like a hot air balloon.

"W-what is it doing…?" I asked, backing away. Erdalla simply held up her hand and mouthed a countdown. Three, two, one…

The Houndour exploded in fiery bits of hellhound and Gloom flesh as a giant dust cloud of both green and yellow pollen rose into the air. I suddenly felt weak and sleepy just by being near it.

"Don't get any closer. That's a large concentration of Sleep Powder and Stun Spore" Erdalla warned "I read that Glooms are filled with this stuff, so if you have to fight them, don't cut into their bodies like the Hourdour did"

"Thanks for the heads up. I always avoided Glooms and Vileplumes back in the Sinister Woods" Salazar shook his head "They always rubbed me the wrong way, so I didn't bother with them"

"That's what I meant before. Even in death, they can get the last laugh" Erdalla faced me "So be more cautious when fighting them. Preferably, attack from a distance to avoid their spores and powders. Same to you Zeplin"

"I'll leave those to you two. Me and Erdalla will handle the less… vile prey like the Teddiursa, Farfetch'd and Trapinch" Salazar said before turning his back on us "I spotted the stairs just ahead of us. Let's move"

We proceeded through the dungeon without much trouble. I could see Shiftry's team having a bit of trouble here due to their typings, but I doubted they would fall in the dungeon given their rank. As long as they were careful, the bugs should be no problem for them. So why did it take them more than one day to finish Jumpluff's mission? I was lost in my thoughts until I heard a crunch under my feet.

"Huh? What's this?" I looked down to see that I've crushed a Geo Pebble under my foot. There was a dented toolbox next to the dungeon wall with it's contents spilling out of it.

"Looks like an explorer who has recently been here got themselves killed" Erdalla deduced, checking the toolbox for anything usable "Salazar, check around for any signs of murder like blood, random feathers, torn leaves, ect cetera"

"There's a couple dried blood stains and evidence of a struggle around here" The Scyther reported "A few bits of ruined wood and leaves like you said"

"Wood and leaves, huh? Seems like a Grass type was the one who was killed here" The Pikachu opened the toolbox and transferred everything inside to hers "Thank goodness dungeons preserve items like this"

"A Grass type. Shiftry's team were all Grass type Pokemon" I realized "Does that mean Shiftry's team was killed on their way through the Silent Chasm? Maybe that's why they never returned"

"Impossible. Unless they were careless, there's no way these bugs could defeat all of them. This was probably a casualty of the Nuzleaf" Erdalla shook her head, setting down the broken toolbox after she looted it "Regardless, let's keep a lookout for more clues. This confirms that one of Shiftry's teammates fell at least"

"BZZT! WE'RE ON FLOOR FOUR RIGHT NOW, SO FIVE FLOORS LEFT" Zeplin reminded us "BY THE WAY, WHAT WAS IN THAT TOOLBOX? BZZT!"

"General items like apples, Oran Berries and utility seeds. Stuff like that" Erdalla replied "There were two Gummis inside as well. A Blue and White Gummi"

"Gummis? What's that?" I asked curiously. They sounded like candy and I swore I had something similar back in my world, but my memories were vague.

"Gummis are rare delicacies. Not only do they quench hunger and fatigue like normal foods, they are rumored to grant special skills when eaten in great amounts" Erdalla explained "Gummis come in different colours, each colour represents a type and the Gummi tastes best when eaten by it's matched type"

"So I'm guessing that Blue Gummi matches with Water types and the White Gummi matches with Normal" I guessed and the Pikachu nodded, digging into her toolbox to toss me the Blue Gummi.

"Try it out for yourself. It's not like anyone else here is going to get the best out of it" Erdalla told me and I nodded, gobbling the gummi up in one go. Instantly, the taste reminded me of peaceful times and it set my mind at ease. My eyesight sharpened, I felt stronger and my head was as clear was a cloudless sky. Aside from that, the Gummi itself tastes like a perfectly sweet blueberry, with hints of sea cucumber.

"Amazing. So much taste for a little gummi" I remarked "So do all gummis taste different? Because mine tastes like blueberry and sea cucumber"

"Yes. I had a Yellow Gummi gifted to me once and it tasted like a mix of lemon and citrus" Erdalla replied "Pokemon of the same type usually share the same taste, so gummis are universally loved by their matched type"

"I found a wild Green Gummi growing in the Sinister Woods once. Tasted like a good mix of sweet leaves and bugs" Salazar licked his lips "Ah damn. I'm getting hungry just by thinking about it"

"What about you, Zeplin? What does a Steel type gummi taste like?" I asked, then I caught myself quickly "Oh right… I forgot you don't have a mouth"

"BZZT! IT'S SAD, BUT AT LEAST I DON'T GET HUNGRY" Zeplin said optimistically "ONE OF MY FRIENDS BACK IN THUNDERWAVE CAVE SAID THAT THEY TASTE LIKE GOLD AND PLATINUM"

"That's what Steel types eat? Raw ore?" I paused, deciding not to think about "Yeah. That makes sense"

We continued on through the rather boring chasm. It DID live up to it's name of being silent and sorta spooky, but nothing in here really intimidated us. Even the swarm of Beedrill were easily shot down by Erdalla and Zeplin.

"Okay I can understand Shiftry's team maybe having trouble with the Beedrill, but Shiftry can manipulate the wind with his leafy fans, right?" I wondered out loud "So theoretically, he could solo this dungeon by himself"

"Plus, we haven't seen any signs of casualties besides his fallen Nuzleaf teammate. That means Shiftry is probably still alive" Salazar nodded "Perhaps he's camping somewhere in the dungeon?"

"If he did, then the bugs would already be feasting on him" Erdalla shook her head "Shiftry wouldn't fall asleep unless he was foolish"

"Or hit by Sleep Powder" I pointed out "Maybe he fell asleep against his will"

"Perhaps. Keep a lookout for any sort of remains like blood or bones" Erdalla ordered "If Shiftry really was eaten by bugs, then we have our answer. That'll also mean Jumpluff's friend is still stuck between the rocks"

"Well, we're approaching the ninth floor and I haven't seen anything else so far" Salazar said "So I doubt Shiftry's dead. He could of been abducted by a Flying type"

"That's a possibility. Let's check the ninth floor and see" Erdalla went ahead, going through the hallway on the right to the stair room. We descended the steps and found ourselves in a dead end of the chasm with two large boulders in the center.

"This should be the place where Jumpluff's friend is" Erdalla scanned the area "The boulders have nothing between them so…"

"W-who are you…?" A small voice spoke from behind the boulders. We approached them to investigate and found out the voice belonged to a Jumpluff. The Jumpluff Shiftry was supposed to rescue.

"We're here to rescue you. Your friend got worried after Shiftry's team didn't return one day later" Erdalla said reassuringly "What happened to them?"

"Over there! Shiftry's collapsed on the ground!" Salazar called and all of us rushed over to Shiftry's fallen body. Sticky, dry blood clung to his white fur and there were a suspicious amount of burnt wood and leaves on the ground.

"What happened to him?" I asked Jumpluff. The cotton weed Pokemon simply put his pom pom-like arms over his mouth, as if the truth was too scary to speak.

"Shiftry, are you okay?" Erdalla asked, shaking the Pokemon. Shiftry groaned and tried to pick himself off the ground, but to no avail.

"Ugh… I'm fine. You… you guys need to get out of here…" Shiftry groaned weakly "He'll notice you here…"

"He? Who is he?" Salazar asked and suddenly, thunder cracked across the dark clouds above, startling all of us.

"He is me!" A loud commanding voice echoed through the chasm as a thunderbolt struck Shiftry directly, making him disappear instantly "That pest disturbed my sleep!"

"And for that, you killed him?!" I yelled "Who are you anyways?"

"I am…" The voice began as another thunderbolt roared through the air. The owner descended in front of us, flapping it's sharp, yellow and black wings.

"... Zapdos, the lord of lightning" Erdalla finished. Her voice was unsteady, but she held her posture straight "Why did you kill Shiftry? All he was doing was helping out Jumpluff!"

"Pah. I forgot that regular Pokemon don't have powers like us" Zapdos glared "I did not kill Shiftry. I simply transported him to my domain, Mt Thunder, where I will make him pay long and slowly for disturbing me. If you want to rescue him, scale the mountain and challenge me yourself"

And with that, Zapdos soared into the air, disappearing in the sea of black clouds with a loud screech.

"Zapdos, the lord of lightning…" Erdalla mumbled "So that was the monster Jumpluff told us about"

"T-that's what happened. Shiftry came to free me and after he got me loose, Zapdos appeared" Jumpluff explained in a shaky voice "H-he obliterated Shiftry's teammate, the Nuzleaf instantly before crippling Shiftry. Then he just disappeared"

"That must of been horrible for you to watch. I'm sorry you had to see it" Erdalla apologized "Let's get you home. You probably need a few days of rest after that"

"O-okay"

On the road back to Pokemon Square, me and Erdalla were discussing about Zapdos's challenge while Salazar and Zeplin quietly comforted Jumpluff.

"We can't beat Zapdos. Every Electric type in the world knows him as a legend" Erdalla argued "He's known as the lord of lightning for a reason. Us normal Pokemon can never stand up to him"

"Yeah, but Shiftry's in danger the longer he stays there. If we don't rescue him fast, he could be killed!" I countered "And who else here is capable enough to take on Zapdos?"

"Team A.C.T?"

"We could see if they're around, but if not, it'll fall to us"

"Alfrin, listen to me" Erdalla grabbed me and forced me to face her "I know you live under the belief that all Pokemon should help each other regardless of compensation, but put some value in your own life! You can't help someone in peril if you die in the process!"

"What then? Are we just going to let Shiftry die?!" I shot back "I know he was a jerk to Jumpluff before, but I can't stand the feeling of letting him get killed when we could of done something about it"

"Guys, guys, break it up. I've been thinking about Zapdos's challenge as well" Salazar interrupted "If Team A.C.T isn't available to rescue Shiftry, we can try to convince the other rescue teams living in the square to help us out. There are more teams than just us and A.C.T, you know"

"BZZT! I REMEMBER SEEING A TEAM OF BLASTOISE, FERALIGATR AND SWAMPERT IN TOWN ONCE. MAYBE THEY CAN HELP US. BZZT!" Zeplin suggested and Erdalla nodded in agreement.

"If I recall correctly, there are three teams aside from us and A.C.T in the square: Team Hydro, Team Constrictor and Team Rumblerock. Against Zapdos, Rumblerock can help us out the most" The Pikachu said "Okay, here's the plan. We'll try and find A.C.T first to have them take on Zapdos and if they aren't present, we'll find Rumblerock and have them reinforce us"

"Sounds good. Let's not take more than a day on preparation" I nodded "We wouldn't want to leave Shiftry in Zapdos's clutches for too long"

"Salazar, search for Team A.C.T in the square and locate Team Rumblerock as well. We'll drop Jumpluff off with his friend" Erdalla ordered and the Scyther nodded before vanishing like the wind. Good lord was he fast.

"Jumpluff!" Our client Jumpluff called and the Jumpluff we rescued ran over to his friend in joy, the two of them hugging each other. We really needed to know their names. One is called Jumpluff and the other is called Jumpluff. Definitely not confusing.

"You're back! What happened to Shiftry?" Client Jumpluff asked and his friend shook his head in fear, pointing at us to explain.

"Putting it simply, Shiftry probably woke up Zapdos with the winds he produced to dislodge Jumpluff. Zapdos killed one of Shiftry's teammates and then abducted him to Mt Thunder" Erdalla explained "We're going to try and find Team A.C.T to take on Zapdos"

"Oh, I'm afraid you won't find Team A.C.T here. They left shortly after you, announcing that they'll be gone for a week" Jumpluff replied solemnly "They said they were going to be away in the southern regions"

"Damn. So it really does fall to us to rescue Shiftry" The Pikachu cursed, balling her hand into a fist "Do you know if Team Rumblerock is around?"

"They are always hanging out near Mt Steel. They should be around there" Jumpluff told us "Why? Can they help you against Zapdos?"

"They might be the ones who can take on Zapdos on their own" Erdalla replied, staring off into the horizon "Thank you Jumpluff. You two can go on your way now"

"Alright. Thank you for rescuing my friend" Jumpluff nodded, shaking his pom pom arms "And good luck rescuing Shiftry. Here, take this"

Out from the balls of fluff were a pouch of Poke and several berries. The two of them bounced away back into the square.

"Okay, I'll go find Salazar in the square and tell him what Jumpluff told us. You and Zeplin can get some rest" Erdalla told me "Good work today everyone"

"The Lord of Lightning Zapdos…" I mumbled as I collapsed over my bed, my body sore from fatigue. Despite the dungeon being fairly easy overall, the walk to and back from the chasm was tiring "I have a feeling this is the start of something big. Now the disasters are even affecting ancient deities"

I thought back to the weird dreams I had about Gardevoir. She said something about having a role to play and that something will be clear soon. I haven't had a dream like that lately, so I began wondering if it was even real. It seemed so otherworldly to dream about it. What was my role here? What is going to be clear soon? Are both of these related to the disasters?

"No use wondering about it. I'm not going to get answers by constantly knocking at my head" I murmured before rolling over on the nest "Need to regain my energy… to fight… Zapdos…"

Fatigue overtook me and the world around me fell into darkness as sleep claimed me.

 **So Silent Chasm is a nice break after the tedious Sinister Woods. The enemy choice is really strange for the geography here, with bugs populating a chasm with very few vegetation. I removed the scene with Team A.C.T at the end because it would give our heroes the incentive to actually go rescue Shiftry. In normal circumstances, there's no reason they should risk their lives fighting Zapdos when Team A.C.T can do it on their own. Coming up next is Mt Thunder and the infamous challenge of the earlygame: The Zapdos boss fight. If you want to be notified of when a new chapter comes out, favorite and follow. If you want to give constructive criticism or praise, leave a review. Until next time!**


	7. Chapter 6: The Lord of Lightning

PMD: Fateful Saviors

Chapter 6: The Lord of Lightning

With a bit of bribing and promise of fame and glory, we managed to tag Team Rumblerock along with us to head to Mt Thunder. The trio of Golem and two Graveler were slow moving, but me and Erdalla both knew they would be vital to taking on Zapdos.

"Is everyone ready to go?" Erdalla asked grimly and I nodded. We ran our savings to the ground with supplies, utility seeds and other forms of combat and weaponry. We needed every advantage we could get to defeat the legendary bird. In fact, I had a secret weapon that I had to pay the Kecleon shopkeepers 3000 Poke for: a Hunger Seed. According to Erdalla, the Hunger Seed starved the target to near death if ingested or impacted by, making them unable to use any moves or even move at all. If I could aim it well or get close enough, I could cripple Zapdos before he dealt too much damage.

"The strategy is that Team Rumblerock will act as a decoy force, distracting Zapdos while we flank around the sides to get behind him" The Pikachu explained "Zapdos's electric attacks will be useless against Team Rumblerock, so he'll be forced to attack physically with his beak. Once he's close enough to the ground, you'll hit him with the Hunger Seed and then we can finish him off"

"And then we rescue Shiftry" I finished, nodding in understanding "But wouldn't Zapdos be able to see us coming from above?"

"I'm prepared for that" Erdalla tapped the side of her toolbox "I have two Invisify Orbs here. Once broken, they'll create a shroud of camouflage magic that'll make us near invisible"

"So since you only bought two, I assume Zeplin's part of the decoy force?" I paused "And Salazar too? Isn't that dangerous?"

"That's why I plan on leaving Salazar in the dungeon before we face Zapdos" Erdalla glanced to the campsite right of her "He'll be helpful in Mt Thunder, but I'd prefer not to risk his life by having him fight Zapdos. He wouldn't be useful anyways, given Zapdos and Salazar's typings"

"I see" I double checked my toolbox again "Alright, that's the plan then. Team Rumblerock is waiting for us at the square's exit and Salazar and Zeplin are prepared to leave. Shall we go?"

"Yes. Time to move out" Erdalla turned to the campsite "Salazar and Zeplin, we're leaving!"

The journey to Mt Thunder was rough and tiring. Not only was the terrain leading up the peak rocky and steep, we had to stop every few seconds just to let Team Rumblerock catch up.

"Hey, don't blame us. If this was a downhill slope, WE will be the ones waiting for you to catch up" Golem shrugged "This blasted uphill is hard on all of us"

"Who- Aahhhhh!" One of the Gravelers fell backwards and tumbled all the way back down the ridge, meaning we had to wait at least half an hour for him to catch up.

"You have to be joking me…" Erdalla slapped her forehead and sighed with exasperation "Zeplin, can't you lift him up with magnetism like you did with Diglett?"

"SORRY. GRAVELER IS TOO HEAVY FOR ME TO LIFT ALONE. IF I HAD MAYBE TWO OR THREE MORE MAGNEMITE, WE COULD MAYBE DO IT. BZZT!" Zeplin replied.

"Ugh. Of course…" Erdalla groaned and then faced Golem, who watched his comrade climb the ridge with a patient expression "Sorry, but we can't stick around to wait for your team member to catch up. We're wasting half an hour here when we could of made it to Mt Thunder already!"

"Sorry about that" Golem apologized "Maybe you four can go ahead and we'll catch up later. We can move pretty fast with Rollout"

"Just do whatever you can to make it before we get to Zapdos" Erdalla sighed "Okay, we'll see you at Mt Thunder. Hopefully…"

Leaving Team Rumblerock alone, we continued forward through the rigid terrain towards the mountain ahead. A permanent colony of black clouds surrounded the peak, rumbling with thunder and lightning and the structure itself looked scarred by storms.

"While I was mistaken about Thunderwave Cave housing many electric type Pokemon, there's no doubt that Mt Thunder will be a wild frenzy of sparks" Erdalla warned us "Me and Zeplin will try to draw electric attacks away from Alfrin and Salazar, but that'll leave us vulnerable. You two will need to cover us while we do that"

"We have each other's backs. Just stick together and try not to seperate" Salazar advised, then glanced behind him "How's Rumblerock doing? They could give us excellent cover from the electric attacks"

"Far behind from us. I think Graveler's still trying to climb the ridge" I sighed "And even if they were with us, they would be too slow to effectively shield us from the lightning"

"Alfrin's right. Any electric attack would of struck us thrice before Rumblerock can jump in to nullify it. Me and Zeplin have better odds" Erdalla nodded, then turned to me "Keep some Oran Berries close. In the off chance an electric attack makes it past me and Zeplin, you're the prime target of attack. Same to you Salazar"

"I understand. I'll even keep a Reviver Seed nearby should the worst happen"

"Good. Looks like we're all ready for the dungeon then" Erdalla gazed in front of her "Because we've arrived. Welcome to Mt Thunder, the domain of Electric types and manor of the lord of lightning, Zapdos"

Up close, the mountain was much more imposing and impressive. The hill itself was made of a mix of gravel, black rock and onyx-like stones, which all pulsed with blue and gold electricity.

"Should we wait for Team Rumblerock to arrive or…" I was cut off by the sound of distant rolling behind me. I turned and saw three large boulders barreling towards us.

"Get back everyone!" Salazar called and we all stepped aside to let the boulders pass until they grew limbs mid-roll and stood up, revealing themselves to be Team Rumblerock.

"Ha! Told you we can travel fast downhill!" Golem boasted proudly "Now let's get into the dungeon. No time to waste"

"Right. Team Lazulian, move out! Team Rumblerock, keep up behind us" Erdalla commanded and we entered the intricate maze of a cave inside Mt Thunder. As Erdalla predicted, Mt Thunder was a breeding ground for Electric types. Magnemite, Magneton, Electabuzz, Ampharos and Manectric all roamed the grounds, but there were a surprising amount of field Pokemon here too. Growlithe, Gligar, Beedrill and Pidgeotto were the odd ones out here.

"Golem, I always see you throwing rocks at whatever you're attacking, even if it's an Electric type. Can't you shake the earth a little and deal some more damage?" I asked as I blasted a Stantler in the face with Water Gun, before Salazar followed up with Slash. The two Graveler were dueling with a duo of Magneton, but just like Golem, weren't using their Ground type attacks. What gives?

"There's a problem with that buddy" Golem replied "My two Graveler teammates only know Magnitude as Ground type moves and I only know Earthquake. Using either would injure all of us and could easily cripple or kill Erdalla and the Magnemite"

"... I understand Erdalla, but how could it harm Zeplin? He's floating in the air" I pointed to the Magnemite, who paired with Erdalla to deliver some devastating Electric attacks towards a swarm of Beedrill "Quake attacks only work on standing foes, right?"

"That's right, but…" Golem was interrupted when Salazar fell back from the front line, injured from fighting a Gligar and Growlithe "We'll talk later"

Golem quickly transformed into a giant boulder with Rollout and somehow leaped off the ground, crashing into Gligar and crushing him on the ground. Growlithe launched a blast of Flamethrower at the retreating Salazar, but I countered it with Water Gun before Golem flattened the fiery dog as well.

"So this is why one of the golden rules of a dungeon explorer is to never bring more than four Pokemon" Erdalla wiped the sweat from her brow "A group like ours moving in coordination is really out of place. It attracts a lot of attention"

"I GET THAT, BUT IS IT JUST ME OR IS THERE MORE ENEMY POKEMON AROUND THAN NORMAL? BZZT!" Zeplin observed "I MEAN, I'VE NEVER BEEN HERE BEFORE, BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE MT THUNDER WOULD BE THIS POPULOUS. BZZT!"

"It might be related to something I heard in town once" Salazar ate an Oran Berry to heal his wounds "Apparently, entering a mystery dungeon with more than four Pokemon places a target marker on us. Not only does a big group attract attention, it also looks dangerous to the dungeon's residents, so they collectively set aside their differences to fight us together"

"Charming, but that makes it so much more tedious" Erdalla grumbled "They see us slaughtering battalions of their own kind in self defense and still bother to attack us? In an ideal world, they would give up and step aside to let us through"

"Sadly, that's not the case" Salazar continued "These Pokemon are fiercely loyal to their homes and family and are VERY suspicious of foreigners. They fight first for fear they would be fought later"

"You sound like you have first hand experience. Care to tell us?" I asked. The combat around us has slowed down quite a bit after the initial wave. Any stragglers were handled by Team Rumblerock and Zeplin.

"Sure. One time, a Girafarig decided to move into Sinister Woods to live there. Not the normal forest, but the actual dungeon" The Scyther explained "The dungeon Pokemon kept a close eye on him, but it was only a day before a Ledyba and Linoone killed him. Apparently, he unknowingly stole from a Hoothoot's berry stash"

"Huh, that's new. I didn't think dungeon Pokemon would have such a close relationship with each other" Erdalla commented, but Salazar shook his head.

"Not exactly. We hunt and kill each other if need be, but we all collectively agree to defend our home from invaders no matter what. That's the mindset of dungeon Pokemon" Salazar looked both nostalgic and distant "It's a strange cycle of both death and protection. It's partly why I joined up with you guys. To escape that confusing limbo"

"I see. Now I'm glad my parents broke away from our home in Thunderwave Cave and moved to Pokemon Square" The Pikachu quickly fried an incoming Pidgeotto "I can't imagine living in a dungeon, having to watch your back at all times"

"It's not the best way to live your life. In the dungeon, the strong survive and the weak kneel" Salazar's expression grew dark "Talking about this is resurfacing bad memories. Let's move on"

"Alright. Whatever you say" Erdalla touched her eye patch out of curiosity before jerking back her hand in recoil "Ugh, even the slightest touch to my eye sends bloody waves of pain through my body. This thing will never heal, will it?"

Feeling out of place, I decided to go talk to Zeplin after he returned from repelling a group of Cacnea and Nidoran. Like Erdalla said earlier, the fighting around us actually winded down as more Pokemon determined we were too much of a threat and went back to protect their families presumingly. Only a few brave or lonely souls went up against us.

"YOU KNOW, FOR A PLACE KNOWN AS THE DOMAIN OF THUNDER, THERE ISN'T AS MUCH ELECTRIC TYPES HERE. BZZT!" The Magnemite commented "I EXPECTED MORE, YOU KNOW. MAYBE A JOLTEON OR AN ELECTRODE. BZZT!"

"Well, I for one am glad at the lack of Electric types here. I bet Salazar is too" I gestured at the Scyther in front of us, talking with Erdalla "Less need to worry about a lightning bolt zipping by to shock me to ash"

"MM, I GUESS SO. STILL, IT'S WEIRD. BZZT!" Zeplin frowned "WE HAVEN'T SEEN A LOT OF THE MORE POWERFUL POKEMON HERE. AMPHAROS, MANECTRIC, ELECTABUZZ… ONLY A FEW WERE SCATTERED AROUND HERE. BZZT!"

"You're right. Maybe they're living deeper in the dungeon, closer to Zapdos's domain" I suggested "We're on floor six right now, so we should be seeing more soon. Now it's just all the field Pokemon"

"Once that begins, we'll follow through with the strategy" Erdalla turned to remind me "Me and Zeplin will redirect incoming Electric attacks while you, Salazar and Team Rumblerock handle the enemy Pokemon"

"Understood"

Conversation ceased after that, replaced by a cautious and careful silence. The floors passed quickly and without much conflict. Seven, eight, nine, ten…

"We're nearing the top. I can hear thunder crackling at the peak" Erdalla cocked her ear up ahead, listening "From here on, there will definitely be more dangerous enemy Pokemon. Be on your guard"

"Aannndd… NOW!" A new voice shouted from behind us and instantly, an army of Manectric, Ampharos, Electabuzz and Gligar surrounded us on all sides. Every hallway in the room was blocked.

"Golem, this would be a great time to use Earthquake!" Erdalla called as we huddled back-to-back in the center while the hostile group of Pokemon waited for their command to attack "I have a Reviver Seed on hand for Zeplin"

"And I have one for Erdalla. We'll be fine" Salazar assured "We can't waste our energy on these Pokemon before Zapdos. We need to break through"

"Attack!" The lead Manectric roared and the surrounding Pokemon instantly pounced, firing off lightning bolts or charging at us with electrified fangs and fists.

"No time for that! Fend off the surrounding Pokemon first" Golem's arm transformed into a stone battering ram and he punched a trio of Ampharos square in the face, breaking their skulls and sending them flying to the wall. A Manectric flew at me with Thunder Fang, but I shot mud into it's eyes before slamming it backwards with Headbutt. I turned to face the next foe before an Ampharos's Thunder Shock crashed into me, sending me skittering on the hard ground, stunned.

"Alfrin!" Erdalla called, gritting her teeth in frustration. There was too many Pokemon around us and Golem's Earthquake would surely finish off Alfrin. But if we held this formation for too long, they'll surely overwhelm us. Even Team Rumblerock was having trouble keeping themselves together.

"Salazar, heal Alfrin. Zeplin, cover me for a second!" Erdalla sent a paralyzing wave in front of her with Thunder Wave, stunning most of the enemy in their tracks. The Pikachu then dug into her toolbox, pulling out a blue crystal orb.

"I wanted to save this for something more dire, but…" Erdalla smashed the orb onto the ground, sending a paralyzing shockwave even stronger than Thunder Wave throughout the entire floor. Every enemy Pokemon in the room froze completely, even in mid attack "Okay, let's retreat to a safe distance and let Team Rumblerock blow them up with their Ground type attacks. Salazar, you healed Alfrin?"

"Yep" The Scyther was helping me on my feet. The Thunder Shock left me a little weak, but I could stand and fight. We carefully pushed through the crowd of frozen Pokemon before Erdalla gestured to Team Rumblerock.

"We're at a safe distance now. Let loose!" The Pikachu called and Golem nodded at his Graveler companions. Together, the three Pokemon jumped and pounded the ground hard with their sheer body mass, creating shockwaves that shook the ground violently and broke the enemy Pokemon out of their frozen state. However, it was too late for them. The power of two Magnitudes and an Earthquake broke the ground around them to smithereens, sending every single enemy Pokemon to fall to their deaths through abyssal chasms. Even from across the floor, I felt the shockwaves partially knock me off balance.

"Good job, you three" Erdalla looked a little winded from resisting the residual shockwaves, but she looked fine enough "But how can you guys get back here? You collapsed the entire room"

"Easy" Golem made a gesture with his hand, lifting three giant boulders that created a floating bridge to cross the chasm. The trio reunited with us and we proceeded forward to the next floor.

"You feeling alright Zeplin?" I asked the Magnemite as we trekked the next floor. After the ordeal with the battalion of enemy Pokemon, combat once again slowed down to a few skirmishes. Maybe the Pokemon here liked to attack in waves "Zeplin?"

"EARTH… QUAKE… THE GROUND… BREAKING…! BZZT!" Zeplin stuttered "I DON'T LIKE IT. DON'T LIKE IT AT ALL"

"That reminds me. How does quake attacks like Magnitude and Earthquake affect you when you're floating in the air?" I asked, but the Magnemite seemed too much in shock to respond, so Erdalla answered for me.

"It's related to Zeplin's ability: Magnet Pull" The Pikachu answered "Every Pokemon has one or two unique abilities that aids them in combat or in everyday life. For Zeplin, it's Magnet Pull and Sturdy and for me, it's Static"

"Okay, but how does that relate to Zeplin not being immune to quake-based attacks?"

"I'm getting to that. You see, in order to have a Ground type immunity like Golem is to Electric attacks, you must be either a Flying type or have the Levitate ability" Erdalla explained "Zeplin has neither, so he's affected by Ground type moves the same way as I am"

"Huh… that's uhh… confusing"

"It is. Just try not to overthink it" Erdalla shrugged "Think of it as an invisible force anchoring Zeplin to the ground, which treats him as a grounded Pokemon when it comes to moves. The opposite is true for Gengar, since he has the Levitate ability"

"Uh huh…" I flashbacked to our fight with Gengar and his gang back at Sinister Woods "But when we fought Team Meanies at Sinister Woods, I remember losing myself in my rage and blowing the earth apart with Earth Power to strike Gengar. Shouldn't have he been immune?"

"Well, I remember you firing molten rocks from under the ground to bury Team Meanies so…" Salazar pursed his lips "It must of been treated as a Rock or Fire type attack over Ground in that case"

"That's likely the case" Erdalla turned her attention ahead, where there was an exit ahead with light shining through "There it is. The entrance to the peak of Mt Thunder, where Zapdos lives"

"Alright, so the plan is that we act as a decoy force, distracting Zapdos long enough for you four to sneak behind him and land that Hunger Seed of yours?" Golem asked and Erdalla nodded "And from there, you and I would wallop the bird with attacks until he's dead, right?"

"Yes. That's how it should go" The Pikachu put on a steely expression, as if psyching herself up for the fight "And once Zapdos is down, we'll try and rescue Shiftry. Bury the bird under a boulder just in case"

"Alright. We'll enter first then and once he's engaged in battle with us, you guys enter" Golem gestured to his two Graveler "Come on boys. Time to fight"

Team Rumblerock went into the peak first and we stayed hidden nearby just to listen in on what Zapdos had to say.

"Hey Zapdos! Where are you, you big lug!" Golem shouted "We're here to rescue Shiftry. Come out!"

"Gyooohhh!" Zapdos's cry echoed through the thunder-struck peak and it shot out of the black clouds above to meet Golem at eye level "I thought it would be clear to everyone already. No mercy for trespassers!"

"Hah! Bold words for someone who can't scratch my prized team!" Golem boasted proudly "Release Shiftry or face the consequences! I have a strong dose of Rock Slide that I saved just for this!"

"Fool! You are brave to utter such words to me!" Zapdos growled "Fine! For your insults and transgressions, you'll answer to my powerful and righteous fury. Me, as the lord of lightning!"

"Bring it on!" Golem's arm transformed into a pillar of rock as Zapdos dived down to rocket towards him and the Graveler with Drill Peck. Golem and Zapdos's attacks clashed for a brief moment before they broke away, Golem commanding his Graveler to launch Rock Throws at the bird. Zapdos countered with godlike lightning that scarred the ground around them, breaking the incoming rocks to pieces.

"Now we move. Stay low to the ground and use any terrain to hide yourself. We need to get behind Zapdos and hit him with the Hunger Seed" Erdalla ordered and we made our way into the peak, splitting off into two groups. Meanwhile, Zapdos launched a furious flurry of Peak and Drill Peak attacks on one of the Graveler from all directions, wearing him down to the point of exhaustion. Golem tried to land a Rock Slide on Zapdos, but he was too quick to hit. Finally, Zapdos's long peak stabbed the Graveler through the head, killing him.

"Grr… you'll pay for that!" Golem roared and slammed his hand on the ground, summoning a slide of boulders from the sky to rain down on Zapdos. However, Rock type attacks were slow and predictable by nature. They were best used on slow moving Pokemon and Zapdos wasn't that. It dodged it with ease and began to hammer the second Graveler with it's beak. However, the Graveler managed to hold on and by sheer luck, smashed a rock straight into Zapdos's face, sending it flying backwards. Golem threw his own rock and sent Zapdos flying towards the mountain wall, but he recovered quickly.

"Gah! I tire of these games!" Zapdos began to gleam with gold light "Time for my secret weapon. Hidden Power!"

With one flick of it's wing, Zapdos launched a shockwave that rocketed towards Graveler. It struck it head on and he broke apart to pebbles instantly.

"It can't be… No!" Golem growled with frustration and fury "Hidden Power Grass?!"

"Ha ha! That's right!" Zapdos cackled with glee "And now it's your time to die! Say goodbye!"

At supersonic speed, Zapdos flew towards the tired Golem, his wing imbued with Hidden Power's aura.

"NOW!" Erdalla shouted and I leaped out of the rock I was hiding in, slamming the Hunger Seed on Zapdos's wing just as it was about to strike Golem. The Hidden Power faded on Zapdos's wing instantly as it lightly touched Golem, barely fazing him.

"What?! No, that's impossible!" Zapdos cried "Why… why can't I move?! Why am I so hungry?!"

"This is for the two friends you murdered. My two best friends" Golem snarled before raising his hand in the air.

"No… No!"

A landslide of boulders appeared above Zapdos and buried the legendary bird under a pile of rock, finishing off the lord of lightning once and for all.

"It's over" Erdalla turned to Golem, who had a sorrowful and silent expression "I'm sorry I let you and your team do most of the fighting. We had to wait for the right opportunity and I didn't think Zapdos would know Hidden Power Grass. I had no intention of sending your teammates to their deaths"

"It's alright… none of us would of known" Golem looked to the ground, the faintest of tears in his eyes "All I can do now is continue Team Rumblerock in their name. Help rebuild it and make it better than before"

"That's the right way to think" Erdalla turned to the cliff behind us "Where's Shiftry though? I don't see him around here"

"Gyoh… gyoohhh!" Zapdos roared from under the rocks and the landslide burst, revealing Zapdos revitalized and empowered.

"What the- Zapdos is…" My eyes went wide eyed with shock. How could he still be alive? I starved him to near death and Golem buried him until a pile of rocks. He couldn't have lived that!

"Are you serious?!" Golem nearly exploded with uncharacterized rage "Stand aside. I'll bury this bastard again! He can't live after murdering my friends!"

"Stop!" I heard a voice from inside the dungeon. From the entrance, Alakazam, Tyranitar and Charizard arrived on the scene.

"Team A.C.T?! What are you doing here?" Salazar asked in shock.

"That doesn't matter! Zapdos is up again and we need to beat him to rescue Shiftry!" I urged, but Zapdos cried loudly, silencing us all.

"ENOUGH!" Zapdos roared "That's enough fighting. I've calmed down. You can have Shiftry back"

From the skies, a pillar of light broke through and Shiftry reappeared on the peak, lying on the ground.

"Next time will be different. Next time, I'll go all out" Zapdos warned "But for now, I'll let this crime slide. Make sure this never happens again or you'll face my unbridled wrath!"

And with that, Zapdos shot back into the black skies in a bolt of lightning, disappearing from Mt Thunder's peak. Golem, taking deep breaths to control his anger, decided to leave early. Erdalla paid him for his work here and he departed, leaving us with Team A.C.T and Shiftry.

"Are you okay? Wake up" Charizard poked Shiftry and he picked himself off the ground, shaking his head.

"Ungh… yeah. I think I'm alright" Shiftry nodded "Thanks for coming to my rescue"

"We're glad you're safe" Erdalla smiled "Now let's get out of here and back to Pokemon Square. You might want to get some rest"

"For a plain old Pikachu and Mudkip, you're strong for driving off Zapdos" Tyranitar noted "Even with Golem at your side, I'm surprised you four even lived"

"Well… we mostly let Golem and his team do the fighting. Two Graveler died in the process unexpectedly" Erdalla replied, ashamed "All we did was wait for the right time to land a Hunger Seed on Zapdos to cripple him"

"Perhaps, but you were still fast enough to catch Zapdos by surprise. That merits some praise" Alakazam stared at me long and hard "You were the one who did it, yes?"

I nodded.

"I knew it. I sensed it from when I first met you" Alakazam closed his eyes "You really aren't a Pokemon, are you?"

"You can sense that?" Erdalla asked in surprise "But you're right. Alfrin wasn't originally a Pokemon. He used to be human"

"What?!"

"H-HUMAN?! BZZT!"

"That's… how could it be?!"

"It's hard to explain. Even Alfrin doesn't know a lot about it" Erdalla explained "One morning, he woke up in the Tiny Woods with no memory aside from his name and that he used to be human. That's it"

"Alakazam… surely you know something about my condition. You're really smart" I pleaded "Do you know why I turned into a Mudkip?"

"No, I can't determine that. I'm sorry" Alakazam apologized "This is the first time I've heard of this. It's beyond mine and the entire world's field of knowledge"

"Oh… that's disappointing"

"However, there is one who might know" Alakazam said and my head perked up "Seek out Xatu at the Hill of the Ancients at the Great Canyon. He spends all his time staring into the sun. Legends say he can see the past and future with both of his eyes"

"Xatu at the Hill of the Ancients in the Great Canyon…" Erdalla had a thoughtful look in her eyes "The Great Canyon is down south, near the desert region. It's a long way from here"

"I want to know anything I can about my past and why I turned into a Pokemon. I need to go there and speak to Xatu" I said firmly and Erdalla nodded.

"Of course. I wasn't about to say we're not going" Erdalla turned to Salazar and Zeplin "Our next destination is the Great Canyon. Let's go home, get some rest and prepare for that journey"

"Right"

And with that, we made our way back home from Mt Thunder. A chilling feeling went up my spine on the way back. Something is going to happen and this journey to the Great Canyon was the turning point. Maybe in Xatu's revelation, we'll learn more about the disasters too. Legendary Pokemon going out of control and the disasters ruining the world more than before…

Just what is going on here?

 **Sorry for the long wait. School work's picking up again for me and I find myself having less and less time to work on my fanfics. Rest assured, I'm going to use my March break the best I can to write and release more chapters. Coming up next is the Great Canyon, where the truth behind the disasters and Alfrin's past is revealed. If you want to be notified of when a new chapter comes out, favorite and follow. If you want to leave constructive criticism or praise, leave a review. Until next time!**


	8. Chapter 7: Canyon of the Divine

PMD: Fateful Saviors

Chapter 7: Canyon of the Divine

After the harrowing battle against Zapdos, we made our way back home with Shiftry in tow. Jumpluff was relieved that Shiftry was okay, but the leafy fan Pokemon simply waved Jumpluff off and went home, presumingly to mourn his fallen teammates. Golem did the same too, so I doubt we'll be able to convince him to come along with us next time. To prepare for our next destination, the Great Canyon down south, we spent the rest of the day stocking up on supplies, food and utilities. It helped that we didn't use too much of current supply at Mt Thunder, so we had money left over to spare.

"Now, we don't know what we're up against down at the Great Canyon, but after the destruction of Team Rumblerock, nobody wants to go on an expedition with us" Erdalla told all of us once we met back in front of base the next day "So we'll have to do this with our own wits, power and smarts. Be on edge the whole time while we're there"

"Understood. Is everyone ready to go?" I asked Salazar and Zeplin, who nodded in response "Okay, now's a good time to leave. The sun's just risen and we wouldn't want to trek in the Desert Region in the afternoon"

"You're right. That would be a death sentence for Zeplin and Salazar" Erdalla nodded "So let's get moving quickly. By crossing the river south of us, we can reach the land in between Sinister Woods and Oddity Cave. From there, the Great Canyon is just a little down south"

"And that's like what, four hours of walking roughly?" Salazar asked and the Pikachu nodded "We should really recruit a Flying type Pokemon to make transportation easier for us. A big one, if possible"

"Yeah, that would be nice, but if I know anything about canyons, it's that we won't find many fliers around there" I shook my head "So we'll just have to tough it out. It's easier in the morning, so let's go"

We took off right away, heading southeast of Pokemon Square to a bridge that spanned over a massive river. Zeplin jokingly told me to jump in and swim and I reminded him that I was part Ground and also just a tiny Mudkip. Any atrocity in the water would be happy to snap me up for lunch.

"Speaking of which, I always wondered if there were mystery dungeons under the sea" Salazar said as he tucked his bladed arms closer into his body, wary of cutting the railing by accident "I mean, I'm sure whoever created the dungeons intended all Pokemon to be able to access it, right?"

"Who knows? Nobody knows what the purpose of the dungeons are to begin with" Erdalla shrugged "But as for dungeons in the water, absolutely. The Grand Sea far west is a dungeon in itself and the same goes for the Stormy Sea down south"

"SO THE CREATOR DIDN'T INTEND ALL DUNGEONS TO BE ACCESSIBLE. FIRE TYPES WOULD DIE TRYING TO ENTER THOSE TWO DUNGEONS" Zeplin remarked "AND ONLY WATER TYPES WOULD BE ABLE TO ENTER"

"Perhaps, although mystery dungeons are weird" Erdalla adjusted the eye patch on her face "A book I read one time stated that dungeons create their own space that allow Pokemon of all kinds to traverse. Theoretically, it means Pokemon like us can explore the Grand and Stormy Sea without worrying about oxygen"

"That explains why the aesthetic of a dungeon never changes, despite you descending or ascending the floors" I realized "Because dungeons are sorta like mystical interdimensional labyrinths, right?"

"I suppose it can be put that way" Erdalla pursed her lips "Though nobody knows what the dungeons are truly and what they were meant to do even after centuries of the world's creation. They are still incredible enigmas"

"Someone will figure it out eventually. Won't be me for sure" Salazar shook his head "I'm not into questioning the creator's decisions and why they did it. Dungeons give us treasure, treasure gives us money, money gives us a food and food lets us survive. Simple as that"

"That's a good way to think. I guess none of us have any business pondering over such things" Erdalla laughed "Anyways, how are you all holding up? We've been walking on this bridge for a while"

"JUST FINE, THOUGH THE SUN'S BEATING DOWN REALLY HARD NOW" Zeplin replied, his eyes partially closed, like it was an effort to even keep them open "JUST… GIVE ME A MOMENT. I NEED TO COOL DOWN"

And with that, Zeplin zipped into the water below, quickly resurfacing up towards us "PHEW. MUCH BETTER"

"What about you Salazar? Feeling alright?" I asked "I could douse you with my Water Gun if you're feeling hot"

"No thanks. You put quite some force behind that shot and I don't want to get blasted into the railing" Salazar nudged the railing with his elbow "This thing's made of some fine and solid rock. It'll hurt to collide with it"

"Hey, I can control my power. I lost control against Gengar only because I was angry" I replied, feigning hurtfulness "But whatever you say. Just tell me if you need it though. Wouldn't want you passing out from heatstroke"

"Sure, sure. Thanks Alfrin"

"Zeplin had the right idea. The sun really is intensifying" Erdalla gazed up to the shining light with her hand over her forehead "And it'll only get worse as we enter the Desert Region"

"I could douse you with Water Gun" I offered "I promise I won't put too much force behind it and no, it's not my spit. Just compressed ocean water sort of"

"I'll let you know when I need it. Let's just continue going"

After a lengthy hour of walking across the bridge under the smoldering sun, we finally crossed back onto the mainland and into a forest path that stretched all the way back to the Sinister Woods. After tangling with a couple rogue Pokemon, rescuing some caught up in disasters and having a lunch break, we made it past the mountain range housing Oddity Cave and found the Great Canyon, just as noon struck.

"Wow… they weren't kidding when they called this the Great Canyon" Erdalla marvelled. Despite the afternoon sun blazing above us, the Great Canyon seemed perpetually in the state of sunset. The granite creating the canyon were tinted a subdued orange, giving an impression of the calming fire of sunset. It certainly looked divine from our view.

"Where's the dungeon entrance though? There isn't any alcoves or cave entrances around here" I looked around, but there was nothing but the grasslands, swaying trees and the smooth stone under our feet. Salazar walked to the edge of the canyon and pointed down.

"There. I see an alcove at the bottom of the canyon. There seems to be a blue light flaring underneath" The Scyther pointed out "Think that's the dungeon?"

"Definitely is. All dungeons radiate a fairly bright blue light on it's exterior. We just usually don't notice unless it's under the sea or in a dark area" Erdalla stared down the canyon's edge "I have some rope in my toolbox to get me and Alfrin down. Zeplin and Salazar can just fly down and catch us if we fall"

Salazar winced, glancing at his bladed arms "Uhh… let's hope it doesn't come to that. If I tried to catch either of you two, you would probably be cut in half"

"AND I HAVE TO BE LUCKY TO CATCH YOU FROM A FALL WITH MY MAGNETISM. JUST BE CAREFUL, ALRIGHT?" Zeplin buzzed "SEE YOU AT THE BOTTOM"

And with that, the two Pokemon jumped off the canyon edge. Erdalla anchored her rope and threw it down the canyon, with Salazar holding it steady while me and the Pikachu climbed down. It was a hard descent that left my hands raw, but we managed to make it down and head towards the dungeon entrance. I spied a couple scorpions, snakes and desert rabbits meandering about. Usual animals in the desert region. No wild Pokemon strangely.

"Alright, let's do this. If we know anything from the previous dungeons, the climate doesn't determine what Pokemon we'll fight" Erdalla surveyed the canyon around us "You all know what happened in the Silent Chasm. We may think a canyon would house Rock, Ground and Fighting type Pokemon, but there could be Water, Psychic or hell, even Fire in here. Be on your guard"

"How much do you want to bet it's going to be filled with Bug types?" I asked dryly and Erdalla sighed exasperatedly.

"I'll bet you on a Yellow Gummy I have in my toolbox. If I win the bet, I'll eat it and if you win, you can choose who gets it. Me or Zeplin" Erdalla replied in a calm, joking manner "Now let's see who wins this gamble. Follow me"

We entered the alcove leading into the dungeon, coming into an open air maze of canyon walls with the cloudless sky right above us. I wondered if dungeons had day and night cycles like the world outside. If we entered the Great Canyon at night, would the sky above us be black too? Before I could ask Erdalla, our first foe came.

"First point to Alfrin" Salazar sliced the Dustox in half in a blink of an eye with Slash "Well, you weren't wrong Erdalla. The disasters definitely made some dungeons so alien with their population"

"BUT OUT OF ALL POKEMON TO MIGRATE ELSEWHERE, WHY DOES EVERY DUNGEON HAVE TO BE INFESTED WITH BUGS?" Zeplin groaned. He hated fighting Bug types due to their small size. Striking them from above with Thunder Shock was nigh impossible "FIRST SINISTER WOODS, THEN SILENT CHASM AND NOW THIS"

"Relax Zeplin. It was just one bug we fought. The whole dungeon can't be like this" Erdalla chided and on cue, a Heracross lunged towards her with Brick Break "Hahhh!"

The Pikachu met the attack head on with a swift burst of lightning, sending the Heracross flying backwards. I fired a sharp stream of water with Water Gun and finished the stag beetle off.

"Two points now. Can we agree to three points and I get the Yellow Gummy?" I asked playfully and Erdalla shrugged.

"Sure. You'll probably give it to me anyways" The Pikachu replied sarcastically and Zeplin growled in annoyance "So it's a win win"

"Oh, you know the moment I get that gummy, I'm giving it to Zeplin. You just locked yourself out of a delicious treat"

"You don't know me enough to predict what I will do Alfrin"

"Quiet, you two. I hear something up ahead" Salazar silenced us both and gestured us to listen carefully. We all fell silent and I could hear faint groans and moans, with the occasional comforting reassurance. Shamefully, my mind drifted to dirty thoughts before the comforting voice came up a little louder.

"It'll be alright sir. Just hold still and- HEY!" The voice cried "Howard, hold him down!"

"Howard…? Wasn't that the Breloom we encountered back in Sinister Woods?" Erdalla thought aloud "He was accompanied by that Chansey healer, Erina. That voice…"

"It sounds just like her" Salazar nodded "Let's see what's going on over there"

"GAH! It hurts! It hurts!" A Cacturne screamed when we entered the scene "Get off me! I need my arm back!"

"Shh. It'll be okay" Erina replied in a soothing tone. She picked up Cacterne's bloody arm off the ground and handed it to Howard, who held it up to the Pokemon's torn shoulder "Just relax. Take deep breaths while I heal you"

"Where… where are those Heracross and Murkrow bastards…!" The Cacterne squirmed, but the Breloom's grip was iron solid "I need to take revenge for them cutting off my arm. Let me go!"

"May the gods let you walk again…" Erina chanted as she cracked open the egg in her pouch, letting loose a soft golden light "Softboiled!"

The golden light moved towards the severed arm and shoulder of the Cacterne, mending the limb back in place. Cacterne writhed in pain, but the moment his arm was reattached, he relaxed and stood up.

"No… no more pain" The Cacterne rolled his previously sliced arm with no problem "Sorry for being a problem, miss. I… I was blinded by pain and rage at the time"

"No problem. I see it all the time. It's just a matter of calming them down enough to let me heal them up" Erina smiled "Now that you're healed, let's be on our way Howard. We have to- Oh, I didn't see you there"

"Yeah, we arrived just a moment ago. Didn't want to interrupt your healing" Erdalla shrugged "What are you two doing here? I thought you had to travel to the Desert Region to take care of a family member"

"We did, but Erina, bless her good heart, decided to travel further south to aid more people" Howard looked both happy, yet exasperated, like he was tired of Erina dragging him along everywhere "With the disasters rocking the world, there's always someone in need of help. Erina wants to make any difference she can, even if it's small"

"How noble of you" I remarked "So since you're doing charity work around here, what do you say to tagging along with us?"

"First of all, what are you four doing here in the Great Canyon in the first place? This is quite far from Sinister Woods" Erina tilted her head in curiosity.

"We're going to the Hill of the Ancients to see a Pokemon called Xatu. Apparently, he can see into the past and future" Erdalla answered and then looked at me with hesitation "There's… something we want to know. Something even Alakazam back at Pokemon Square doesn't know"

"That must be an incredibly mind boggling question if Alakazam of all Pokemon doesn't know the answer" Howard commented, then turned to the Chansey "Well, it's your call if you want to join them or not. You're the boss"

"We'd be happy to. Like you said, we're just doing charity work out here, so nothing important is obstructing us" Erina nodded, smiling "So I'll keep the group safe with my healing and in exchange, you'll protect me. That sound good?"

"No different from before. You already had the Breloom at your side" Salazar shrugged "But having a cleric behind you is always good for dungeon exploring, so we welcome it with open arms"

"Maybe not Salazar's arms, since he'll cut you in half with a hug" I joked "But I agree. We're only on floor four right now and I suspect it'll be awhile before we reach the end"

"Delightful. Then my efforts can make a good impact" Erina nodded "Let's get going. Lead the way, alright?"

With Howard and Erina tagging along with us, the dungeon became a lot easier. It's not like it was hard before, but it was clear the Breloom and Chansey were very experienced in dungeon exploring. Made sense, considering they travelled a substantial distance for their quest. Floor after floor passed with relaxing ease.

"Damn. Who taught you Howard?" Erdalla asked, impressed as she watched the Breloom pummel a Noctowl and Heracross pair with a flurry of punches, knocking them down in seconds "I've been wanting to incorporate more physical attacks in my fighting style for a while now, but I could never find a good teacher around"

"Oh, my parents taught me how to fight and I only honed my skills from there by protecting Erina" The Breloom replied, watching the rest of the enemy Pokemon turn tail and run "If you'd like, I could teach you if we join your team officially. Only if Erina allows it, of course"

"That would be amazing. I'll ask Erina after we're finished the-"

"Howard, behind you!" I called, preparing a shot of Water Gun to blast at the approaching Houndoom, who was readying a deadly Flamethrower. Howard turned too late however and the column of flames raced towards him. My Water Gun shot wouldn't be fast enough to intercept it. That was when Erina herself jumped in front of Howard, cushioning the intense flames with ease.

"The healer protecting the bodyguard. Now that's something you don't see everyday" Salazar remarked as Erina threw an explosive egg at the Houndoom while Howard downed it in one strike with Mach Punch. The Scyther turned back and saw an Ariados lunge for him, but one Slash cut it down "Hm, the enemy Pokemon are getting braver as we move deeper in. Or more reckless"

"Let's settle for the latter" I said while me and Zeplin teamed up to fry an approaching Phanpy and Murkrow duo "What floor are we on anyways? It felt like we were here for ages already. More so than Sinister Woods"

"Floor eleven right now. I think we're close to the end" Erdalla estimated before looking around herself "The general amount of Pokemon we're fighting is getting lower. Now it's less numbers and more pure strength"

"Nothing we can't handle though" Salazar called for help behind me and I let loose a stream of mud with Mud Shot towards a rampaging Tauros. While the bull was blinded, Salazar sliced it to bits with Fury Cutter "Despite his typing, Howard can adequately handle the fire dogs…"

"The Houndoom"

"...And Salazar and Zeplin got our backs covered. That just leaves us to defend the sides" I continued before looking around myself "By the way, do any of us know where we're going? We've been wandering the eleventh floor for a while now"

"We're looking for the stairs, but every room looks the same and there are four way intersections everywhere. It doesn't make it easy to remember which rooms we visited and which we didn't" Erdalla gritted her teeth in frustration before slapping herself on the head "Ugh, I'm such an idiot for not thinking of this sooner. Zeplin, can you try to fly up and locate the stairs from the sky?"

"SURE THING. BZZT!" Zeplin zoomed above the dungeon maze, looking around before a flock of Murkrow appeared out of nowhere and began swarming Zeplin "OW! WHERE DID THESE THINGS COME FROM? BZZT!"

"I didn't see them fly out from anywhere. They just appeared like magic…" Salazar stared into the sky as Erdalla and Zeplin combined their electrical powers to fry the murder of crows. Just as they fell, more took their place, seemingly more than before "Zeplin, get back to ground level!"

"DON'T HAVE TO TELL ME TWICE. BZZT!" The Magnemite quickly descended back down to us and just like that, the attacking Murkrow vanished "HUH… I DIDN'T KNOW MURKROW COULD TELEPORT"

"They can't. It must be another system of the dungeon" Erdalla thought aloud "I think flying up and getting a bird's eye view of the layout is considered cheating by the dungeon, so that's why the Murkrows showed up"

"So all dungeons have their own anti-cheating system?" I asked, perplexed. Dungeons continuously got more and more confusing the more I learned about them.

"I believe so. That's so interesting…" The Pikachu's face was marked with insatiable curiosity "This was never mentioned in the books about dungeon exploring. I wonder what else Pokemon haven't discovered…"

"Hey guys! We found the stairs!" Erina's voice up ahead broke us out of our thoughts "What were you standing there for anyways?"

"Ah! Nothing, just taking a break" Erdalla called back in a lie "We'll be right there. Let's go everyone"

We caught up to the Breloom and Chansey duo just as they ascended the red sandstone stairs. The steps brought us out of the dungeon and onto a cliff edge that was permanently blazed by the setting sun. Four stone statues of unfamiliar and powerful looking Pokemon decorated the area while one singular Pokemon stood on the cliff edge, staring at the orange sun without a hint of movement.

"This looks to be it. The Hill of the Ancients" Erdalla marvelled as we walked out into the open sunlight "It's so beautiful, yet mysterious"

"That Pokemon over there by the edge must be Xatu" Howard pointed out "Go on. Go ahead and ask him your incredible question. We'll be waiting here"

"You don't want to listen to it?" I asked, confused and Erina shook her head.

"Just look at him. He's staring into the sun for whole days probably and doesn't even move a muscle! It's creepy" The Chansey replied "Just in case he suddenly attacks us, I'd rather not be in close distance. I apologize"

"That's fine. Me and Alfrin will go alone then" Erdalla shrugged "It's a rather… personal question anyways. Salazar and Zeplin, you stay here with Howard and Erina too"

"Commander's orders" Salazar and Zeplin both nodded in understanding and me and Erdalla hiked up to meet Xatu.

"Excuse me! Are you Xatu?" Erdalla called as we reached the top of the hill. The totem-like bird Pokemon didn't respond or even react to Erdalla's voice. Just continued to stare at the sun in deep and emotionless thought. Creepy.

"Uhh… hello? Did you hear me?" Erdalla tapped Xatu's shoulder, but again, no reaction "Hello? Alfrin, he feels real, but it's either he's deaf or in a coma. Or both"

"Maybe we can try to force him to speak. Like… tickle him" I suggested "Or hell, even hit him with a light move if he doesn't respond to it"

"Maybe a small shock will force something" Erdalla shrugged and walked behind Xatu "Alright Xatu. I'm going to be gentle at first, but you better answer to me and Alfrin or else it's going higher"

Lightning laced Erdalla's hand but just as she was about to strike, Xatu cried out in a loud cry that echoed across the canyon.

"Kwaahhhh!"

"Ah!" The sudden noise flinched Erdalla and the electricity faded away from her hand "So you ARE alive"

"Witness it… the sinking of the sun" Xatu's voice was monotone, yet deep and calming. The bird turned himself to face us. His black eyes seemed deeper than black holes and yet in the faintest glimpse, I could see an image rush by: A small penguin trekking in the forest alongside two dogs. One bright orange like fire and the other green with yellow streaks. Just as quickly, the image faded. Alakazam mentioned that Xatu's eyes can perceive the future and past, so did I just see the upcoming future or long days past?

"Yes… the sinking of the sun is indeed impressive and beautiful" Erdalla seemed caught off guard by Xatu's strange behavior "We came to ask you something…"

"You are correct. I am Xatu" Xatu continued, as if he didn't hear Erdalla "You've discerned my true identity. You are not the ordinary sort"

"Discerned your true identity…?" I repeated slowly "All we did was have Erdalla threaten you with her lightning. That's a bit much"

Xatu turned his head to me slowly, peering into me with his deep eyes "I can tell you this, Mudkip. You are not an ordinary Pokemon. You are… human, correct?"

"You know that?" I asked, surprised and Xatu nodded and then turned back around, facing the sun.

"Everyday, I stare at the sun, unblinking. It gives me sight to all things" Xatu replied sagely before turning back to us "The past and future included"

"Your eyes must be really sore then" Erdalla commented "But anyways, what else do you know about Alfrin? Why did he turn into a Pokemon? Who took his memories of being a human?"

Xatu was silent for a moment before answering "The world's calamities… has been more recent as of late. It is a result of the world's balance being upset"

"The world's balance being upset…?"

"That and your transformation into a Pokemon…" Xatu turned to me "Is linked. Inseparably so"

"The natural disasters and Alfrin's transformation are related? How so?" Erdalla asked and Xatu didn't reply back. He just stared at us, unblinking and unbreathing "Xatu, don't clam up on us. We need to know why this is happen. Hundreds of Pokemon everyday are suffering from the disasters!"

"There are bigger concerns I'm afraid" Xatu replied "The world's balance must be restored. Or else the unthinkable will happen to this world"

"The unthinkable being what? Armageddon?" I asked and Erdalla looked at me seriously.

"Close to. I think what Xatu means is that the frequency of disasters will increase until nowhere in the world is uninhabitable by Pokemon" The Pikachu said "The earth will shake on a constant basis, the sea will swirl violently out of control and tornadoes will ravage all over the land unopposed. That's the unthinkable"

"The Pikachu is right. Everyday, I see the same vision in my future eye. The same destruction threatening to ruin the entire world" Xatu shook with dread "I'm afraid I cannot offer insight on how to stop it and how the Mudkip is involved. I just know. Now leave me be"

And just like that, Xatu turned his back on us and went as still as a stone. Erdalla reached to tap his shoulder, but I stopped her, shaking my head. This was probably all the info we'll get out of Xatu for today. It was clear he has no intention of speaking more.

"Let's go home. I doubt we'll get much more out of him today" I told the Pikachu and she reluctantly sighed and nodded. We walked back down the Hill of the Ancients and reunited with our companions.

"So what did Xatu tell you? You two were up there for a while" Howard said once we teleported out of the dungeon with an Escape Orb "You two look crestfallen. Did he say anything foreboding?"

"I'll tell you guys everything on the way back" Erdalla looked at me for permission and I nodded "But for now, I need to ask Erina something"

"Yes? What is it?"

"Erina, would you like to join our rescue team? You were journeying around with Howard to save as many Pokemon as you could, so I know this won't detract from your goal too much" The Pikachu offered "And your healing skills plus Howard's power can prove very useful to our team"

"I'd be happy to accept. You took my reasoning to accept right out of my mouth" Erina smiled "Howard, are you alright with this?"

"I am your charge Erina. I'll go where you go" The Breloom replied simply "However, I did promise Erdalla to teach her martial arts if we joined the team, so I'd never mind joining up"

"Excellent. Welcome to Team Lazulian, you two!"

 _Our team:_

 _\- Erdalla, Pikachu: Lazulian Captain_

 _Level 21_

 _Moves: Thunder Shock, Quick Attack, Thunder Wave and Thunder Punch_

 _\- Alfrin, Mudkip: Enigmatic Co-Leader_

 _Level 20_

 _Moves: Mud Shot, Water Gun, Headbutt and Mud Slap_

 _\- Zeplin, Magnemite: Mechanical Companion_

 _Level 16_

 _Moves: Thunder Shock, Sonic Boom, Supersonic and Metal Sound_

 _\- Salazar, Scyther: Sharp Confidant_

 _Level 18_

 _Moves: Slash, Fury Cutter, Quick Attack and Pursuit_

 _\- Erina, Chansey: Wandering Healer_

 _Level 19_

 _Moves: Egg Bomb, Softboiled, Refresh and Lucky Chant_

 _\- Howard, Breloom: Stalwart Bodyguard_

 _Level 22_

 _Moves: Mach Punch, Bullet Seed, Spore and Absorb_

 **Sorry for the delay in chapters recently. Increasing high school and volunteer work can be a pain in the ass when you need time to work on fanfic chapters. The Great Canyon isn't a very notable dungeon besides the story element behind it, so forgive me if the dungeon segment felt a little stale. Coming up next is the fugitive chapter where our heroes is driven out of Pokemon Square for a mysterious and unknown reason. If you want to be notified of when a new chapter comes out, favorite and follow. If you want to give me constructive criticism or praise, leave a review. Until next time!  
**


	9. Chapter 8: Departure and Exile

PMD: Fateful Saviors

Chapter 8: Departure and Exile

"So that's the reason behind the natural disasters? The world's balance is going out of sync?" Salazar repeated as we approached closer back to Pokemon Square "And Alfrin's somehow related to it?"

"More or less" Erdalla eyed Salazar and Howard carefully "After that detail, I honestly expected one of you to begin attacking Alfrin. Most people would interpret "related" as "the culprit" behind something like this"

"I need hard proof before resorting to something that extreme. Unless earthquakes and tornados suddenly start popping everywhere Alfrin goes, I won't even dare strike him" Salazar promised "Besides, it'll be hard to do that to begin with, given that you know… he's our team co leader"

"I hold the same ideal, though I wouldn't hesitate to take down Alfrin if he really is the culprit behind the disasters, unwillingly or not" Howard said and then looked at me "No offense, of course. I just want to do what's necessary"

"None taken. If there really was hard, definitive proof that I'm heralding these disasters, I'll gladly welcome your oh-so relentless assault on me" I replied "Let's hope it doesn't come to that though. I want to keep my life"

"I can't imagine anyone wouldn't" Erina laughed lightly "I for one feel that the disasters aren't directly linked to you. You're too small and adorable for that"

"I don't think it's as simple as that Erina. He could be cursed or mayb-"

"Hush" The Chansey interrupted Erdalla "Let's all at least be optimistic while talking about the potential apocalypse, alright? I'd rather NOT have my comrades making plans to kill each other"

She aimed that last comment directly at Howard, who flinched in surprise and shame.

"I AGREE. KEEP THIS CONVERSATION NICE, CIVIL AND SHORT, YEAH?" Zeplin chimed in "AND WHEN I MEAN BY SHORT, I MEAN IT ENDS NOW. LET'S TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE"

"Fine. Better to not despair and depress ourselves over something we don't know about" I shrugged "So what should we talk abo-"

"Wait, look over there!" Salazar pointed to a group of Pokemon living in the nearby forests and ponds quickly rushing out and into Pokemon Square. This many Pokemon wouldn't be coming if something dire wasn't going on.

"Let's hurry into the square. Something could be going on!" Erdalla urged and we ran into Pokemon Square, making it just in time to notice a giant crowd present in the town center, where Pokemon normally make announcements and speeches.

"What's going on here? Why are so many people gathered in the square?" Erdalla asked a Bellsprout who was on the edge of the crowd. The Bellsprout turned with an excited expression.

"He's about to tell us! He's about to tell us the truth about the Ninetales legend!" Bellsprout replied excitingly "You know, the one about the dirtbag scum human abandoning his Pokemon after pulling on Ninetales's tail? And that the human got cursed into become a Pokemon and causing the disasters? He's about to tell us who that cursed human is!"

"He? Who's he-" Erdalla got interrupted by a booming and familiar voice that sent anger and shivers down my spine.

"Welcome everyone! Thank you all for coming to join me and here the truth of the Ninetales legend! Keh heh heh!" Gengar announced, silencing everyone.

"Gengar…! Whatever he says can't be the truth…" Erdalla growled and one of the town residents shushed her.

"Now I don't walk to keep you here for long, so I'll spill out the story right away!" Gengar continued "So first of all, I went to the Hill of the Ancients. There, I saw a certain figure getting advice from Xatu. This is when the shocking stuff comes! Keh heh heh!"

"What shocking stuff?" Lombre asked.

"The figure I saw looked like an ordinary Pokemon, but get this…" Gengar delayed what he'll say next, as if going along with a silent drum roll "It was originally a human! I overheard Xatu saying so!"

"WHAT?!" That causes everyone in the crowd to stir, their expressions and reactions mixing from awe to shock to suspicion.

"That can't be true. Everyone else was at the base of the hill while we were at the top. There was no way…" Erdalla suddenly clenched her fist "He could of been hiding behind a pillar or us while we were distracted by Xatu. Still, Xatu never said anything about-"

"And there's more!" Gengar called after the murmuring of the crowd died down "Xatu told the human Pokemon that his transformation into a Pokemon is linked to the natural disasters going on around the world! Does that sound familiar?"

"The Ninetales legend!" Someone in the crowd piped up.

"Exactly! Those natural disasters are caused by the world's balance being upset and if it continues to rage unchecked…" Gengar wrung his hands "The unthinkable will happen! Earthquakes day and night! Whirlpools the size of Wailords! Tornadoes will sweep the land asunder and make Pokemon extinct! Everyone in the world will die! Xatu himself confirms this!"

That causes everyone to go into a panic, though before it could spiral into chaos, Gengar spoke up again.

"Now, now. I know that all of you are worried and wondering what we can do. Lucky for you, I know a way! Keh heh heh!" Gengar strutted around like this was no big deal "If the world's balance is being upset by this transformed human, then simply removing him from the equation should stop all the natural disasters, right? The unthinkable won't happen with him not around anymore!"

"T-that makes sense!" Snubbull realized "But who's the transformed human you're talking about? We need a manhunt!"

"Why, he stands within your own ranks!" Gengar cackled, causing everyone to look at each other in suspicion and confusion "The coward who abandoned his loyal and caring Gardevoir wouldn't mind if we kill him, right? It's what he deserves. Isn't that right…"

Gengar jerked his head towards me and stared at me hard and deep "...Alfrin?"

"Wh-what?!" Everyone was slow to register the fact, but they quickly turned heads towards me "You're that cursed human?"

"This is nonsense! We were there talking to Xatu! He said none of thi-"

"Hey, shut up! We're asking Alfrin. Not you Erdalla!" A rock sailed towards the Pikachu. She caught it, but a look of crestfallen betrayal marked her face.

"So what is it? Are you the cursed human Alfrin?!" The crowd pressured me to answer, but I was speechless. What Gengar said made total sense. I came into this world with no memories aside from being a human once and Gardevoir has been popping up in my dreams lately. Xatu even said my transformation was linked to the natural disasters, just like Gengar said. Was… was I the cursed human?

"Alfrin… speak up. We can't leave the crowd waiting like thi-"

"His silence belays his guilt! He doesn't want to answer for his crimes!" Gengar rallied "Alfrin is the cursed human who brought the disasters upon us. The ones who destroyed your homes, families and loved ones! KILL HIM! HA HA HA!"

"Ah! Everyone, we have to get out of here! Let's mov-" Erdalla's hands pulsed with electricity as she prepared Thunder Wave, but was interrupted by Howard slugging me in the neck, bruising me badly "Howard! What are you-"

"You told me on the way back Alfrin was related to the disasters and now Gengar confirms it as a second source" Howard's tone was cold as ice "You lied to me. You said he was only somehow related to it. You never mentioned that he's THE human transformed into a Pokemon!"

"Howard, stop that! You can't just join the mob intent on KILLING Alfrin. He's your friend!" Erina insisted "What matters now is that we escape and find out the truth!"

"No! This is the truth! I can tell by his expression!" Howard went for another strike, but I got over my shock and dodged, countering with Mud Slap to blind the Breloom. Meanwhile, Erdalla sent a wave of paralysis through the crowd of Pokemon, freezing them in their tracks. Gengar teleported in front of me to land the finishing blow, but Salazar threw him backwards with Fury Cutter.

"Salazar! Are you still-"

"Stop talking! Just move already!" The Scyther rapidly sliced incoming Bullet Seeds out of the air "I'll cover your escape! Just go with Zeplin and hurry out of here!"

"Salazar… thank you" I quickly got off the ground and ran to meet Zeplin by the team base while Erdalla, with a loud cry of anger, pounded the ground with her fist, calling up a wall of golden electricity to hold off our attackers. She then used Quick Attack to catch up with us while Salazar fended off Gengar with repeated Fury Cutters. We ran as fast as our legs could go, eventually reaching the peninsula that led towards the Silver Trench.

"Hurry! They could still be on our trail!" Erdalla urged as she used lightning to energize herself and run faster "Come on, keep up!"

"Says you! You're the one with the energized legs!" I coughed and wheezed as I struggled to continue running "We can't keep going in this direction! We'll be trapped between them and the sea!"

"Then we'll make a last stand. We can't go back now!" The Pikachu cried, desperation clear in her voice "If Team A.C.T was part of that crowd, they surely broken the electric barrier by now. They're probably in Tiny Woods right now!"

"What about Salazar, Howard and Erina?! We can't leave them to die!"

"Forget them! It's all about keeping you safe now. You got that?!" Erdalla roared, her teeth grit and tears stinging her eyes "Just stop protesting and keep moving. Like Erina said back there, we'll find out the real truth about this! What Gengar said is hogwash. You can't be the cursed human. Your link to the disasters must be something else!"

I was momentarily speechless while we continued running. Erdalla's faith and determination in me was something I never thought I'd hear, but it inspired me. She was right. While Gengar's speech matched up to what Xatu told us, it's Gengar we're talking about. He probably eavesdropped on us and twisted the facts to pin the blame on me. Me, Erdalla and whoever was willing to believe in me will find out the real truth and solve the world's unbalance ourselves.

"UHH GUYS. WHILE THIS SENTIMENT IS SWEET AND ALL… ALFRIN'S RIGHT. WE WILL BE TRAPPED BETWEEN THE OCEAN AND THE PURSUIT FORCE IF WE CONTINUE" Zeplin reminded us "WE REALLY SHOULD GO BACK AND TRY TO LIVE SOMEWHERE ELSE. LIKE THUNDERWAVE CAVE FOR INSTANCE"

"I just told you why we can't go back!" Erdalla growled as we stopped to catch our breath. Good thing too since we were at the very edge of the peninsula. The silvery sea of Silver Trench gleamed beneath the cliffside, with the waves crashing against it forcefully "If we go back, we'll be forced to fight the entire crowd of Pokemon from the square. At least here our backs are covered and we have an escape method. Sort of"

"Yeah, as if diving into the dangerous and unexplored ocean qualifies as a viable escape route" I replied and Erdalla scrunched her eyebrows.

"Don't give me that sarcastic crap. You're a Water type for god's sake. We can just…. Aaaarrrgghhh!" Erdalla smashed the ground out of pure anger "Why?! Why did the crowd choose to believe Gengar so easily? Why did Howard and Erina betray us for HIM?! Now we're all alone out here and this will probably be the last battle of our lives. And I just… we just…"

Again, another thing I never thought I would see Erdalla do. The Pikachu sat down and cried. Put her hands into her face and genuinely sobbed. I didn't know what to do, but my heart was heavy with grief from all the events that transpired today. I patted the Pikachu on the back gently and whispered comforting words. Zeplin excused himself to go look for Salazar, leaving us two alone.

"I can't believe how… how fast the townspeople turned on you and me after Gengar revealed his truth…" Erdalla said in a quiet, but broken tone "One of them threw a rock at me. Another fired Bullet Seed at you. Howard punched you in the neck. All my childhood friends and neighbors, new and old, just… gone. Just like that"

"My neck still hurts, but I'll be okay. Howard clearly held back" I said "But try to understand them. What Gengar said is true. Their homes, families and loved ones were all possibly killed and destroyed by the disasters. They'll lynch anyone who is the cause of that, no matter how closely knit they are. Bonds may weaken them, but they'll still try to kill me. That's what happened to Howard"

"Still… it pains me to see them submit to Gengar's word so easily. Does he even look trustworthy?" Erdalla replied "Ugh, look at me. I've gotten pathetic. Worrying about everything but the problems in front of me. Crying like some sentimental princess"

"You aren't to blame. The situation is bleak and hopeless as it is" I was already close to choking up and crying myself "But what you told me earlier while we were running… it was inspiring. We WILL get out of this. We WILL find out the truth about this case. Otherwise, all your faith and determination will go to waste"

"You're right. We can't give up like this" Erdalla took a deep breath, stood up and composed herself "Sorry. Had to get that off my chest. Still, that doesn't solve the problem right now. We can't win against this many Pokemon, especially if Team A.C.T is part of that crowd"

"I have some utility orbs in my toolbox. Maybe we can stun them and try to escape through the Silver Trench?" I offered. Before the Pikachu could respond, we heard a buzzing in the air along with a voice yelling at us from the distance.

"Erdalla! Alfrin!" Salazar flew straight towards us, his body covered in scratches, burns and bruises, but his grin was triumphant and overjoyed "Thank goodness you two are safe! I managed to hold off the crowd and shake them off my tail when I left to find you"

"Do you know what they're doing? Are they still chasing us?" I asked, scanning the forest far ahead just in case.

"No" The Scyther shook his head "Just as I fell back to find you guys, I heard Alakazam call a retreat and a town meeting to decide what they'll do with you. This is our chance to slip away and escape!"

"Excellent. I know just the place we can go hide for the time being" Erdalla, despite sobbing in despair only a brief moment earlier, still excluded her confident aura and voice of a leader "Everyone in Pokemon Square already picked the nearby areas clean, so we have to go elsewhere. Far, far east"

"EAST? HOW FAR EAST?" Zeplin asked "AND I DON'T ASSUME WE'RE GOING TO MT THUNDER?"

"No, far more east than that" Erdalla replied gravely, pulling out her map from her toolbox "We have to go as far as Lapis Cave or even further than that if we want to evade our bounty hunters. The farthest we can go is Mt Freeze. That'll guarantee our safety for sure"

"That'll take weeks to travel to. Are you sure we can even survive that long? And that's not even counting the hunters coming for us" Salazar pointed out "There's only so much food we can find in the wild and with no tent or bedding, one of us is going to freeze eventually"

"We'll do what we can to survive. We can't stop by the base now" Erdalla snapped before rolling up her map "Okay, our plan is settled. We'll sneak by Pokemon Square while the residents are in the meeting and head all the way east to as far as Lapis Cave at least. Then we'll figure out the truth of Alfrin from there"

"We've already wasted enough time here, so we can't argue" I nodded "Let's hurry up and go"

"And you were just complaining about your sore legs earlier" The Pikachu smirked and tossed Salazar an Oran Berry "Heal up and we'll go. The Pokemon back there gave you quite a fight, did they?"

"They did. Gengar especially" Salazar nibbled on the Oran Berry, healing the numerous wounds over his body "I'm just lucky Team A.C.T didn't get into the fight. Otherwise, I'd be toast"

"What happened to Howard and Erina?" I asked as we began dashing back down to Tiny Woods "I'm sure Erina held Howard back, but they didn't follow under Gengar's word, right?"

"You got the first part right. While I was fighting off the square residents, I saw Erina scolding and yelling at Howard in the corner before dragging him out of town herself. The Breloom looked devastated with shame" The Scyther replied "We might be able to reunite with them, but I'm not fully sure"

"Leave them. Howard can't be trusted" Erdalla stared at me "He's convinced you're the cursed human who brought the disasters to this world. If we were to go on the run with them, who's to say Howard won't kidnap you in the middle of the night and take you back here? Or hell, even just kill you on the spot. He's a strong Pokemon"

"He DID hold back when he attacked me back at the square so…" I rubbed the back of my neck where Howard slugged me. It healed nicely thanks to an Oran Berry "Just give him some time. I'm sure Erina will straighten him out and we'll find them again"

"Let's hope so. If we're really going as far as Mt Freeze, Erina's healing will be invaluable…" Erdalla gazed up ahead "Tiny Woods is just within reach. We can flank through the left or right side to avoid going throug-"

"Stop" The air suddenly became still and tight as Alakazam materialized in front of us in particles of pink light. Charizard flew down from the air and Tyranitar dug out of the ground, joining their leader in Team A.C.T

"Team A.C.T…" Erdalla's hand pulsed with electricity "If you intend to stop us, I swear, I will bring down this entire peninsula…"

"Save your energy. There's no chance you can defeat us" Alakazam replied, in a calm and forceful tone "We didn't come to fight"

"Then… what did you come for?" I asked slowly.

"You have until midnight. Go back to your base, pack your belongings and get out of here" Alakazam told us gravely "We'll hold back the masses until then. Tomorrow onward, rescue teams from across the world will take up the chase to hunt you down. Consider it a gift from us to give you a six hour head start"

"And I'm assuming you'll be part of those hunters too?" Erdalla asked, fear etched into her voice and Alakazam nodded.

"We will. It'll sully our reputation if we don't consider Alfrin and any of his allies the enemy" Alakazam replied "However, me and my team will slow the chase as much as we can for you. I don't trust the information Gengar told us today. Run and uncover the real truth"

"Alakazam and Team A.C.T… thank you" Erdalla nodded in thanks "At least someone believes us"

"There will be no mercy the next time we meet. Farewell" Alakazam raised the spoon in his right hand, conjuring three glowing pink portals to transport his team away. If he stuck to his word, we have until midnight to prepare for our life in exile.

"DO WE TRUST ALAKAZAM'S WORD OR DO WE CONTINUE TO AVOID POKEMON SQUARE?" Zeplin asked once the trio left "GETTING BACK TO BASE WOULD BE NICE BUT…"

"We'll risk a fight if we're caught" Salazar looked forlorn and suspicious "I don't trust Team A.C.T. I bet that was a trap to lure us back into Pokemon Square to have Alfrin killed once and for all"

"Then I'll stay out of town while you three gather supplies from the base" I suggested, then looked at Erdalla "Preferably Zeplin and Salazar. The townsfolk know Erdalla, so they may suspect her as an enemy too"

"Good idea. Me and Alfrin will hide out in Tiny Woods while you two go back to base and grab our stuff. If anyone asks you anything, just say you're a travelling Pokemon looking for somewhere to rest" Erdalla told our two companions, then dug into her toolbox "Salazar, use this key to unlock the base's door. Grab as much stuff as you can fit into this toolbox and meet us back in Tiny Woods. Same to you Zeplin"

"ALRIGHT. BE BACK IN A JIFFY" The Magnemite nodded as he accepted my toolbox and zoomed off, alongside Salazar. Me and Erdalla made our way back to a clearing nearby the Tiny Woods dungeon, exactly where we first met.

"So what can we do? How can we uncover the truth behind this legend?" I asked the Pikachu. Erdalla seemed lost in thought, tracing and drawing random patterns in the sand beneath her. She didn't seem to hear me, so I asked again.

"I heard you the first time. I was just thinking" Erdalla grumbled "I don't know honestly. The best solution would be to seek out the original Ninetales from the legend itself, but I doubt anyone knows where he or she lives"

"It's a start" I shrugged "We could ask the locals on the road if they know about them, assuming news of me hasn't reached them yet"

"I doubt it'll stay that way for long. Every Pokemon in the square is probably spreading the news across the continent" Erdalla stared up into the sky "Pelipper dropping newspapers and wanted posters of your crime… it'll just be us against the world for a while"

"Surely someone besides Team A.C.T believes us and will help us"

"I dearly hope so"

"We're back! We got every important thing we could find" Salazar opened Erdalla's toolbox to show off the loot. Inside, the box was stuffed with berries, fruits, utility seeds, orbs and basically anything a dungeon explorer would need. My toolbox had the tents we set up for Zeplin and Salazar folded up and some spare blankets and cloaks for our life on the road. Zeplin apologized for not being able to grab our beds

"EVEN THOUGH THEY LOOK TO BE MADE OF STRAW, ME AND SALAZAR COULDN'T BEND OR FOLD THEM AT ALL" The Magnemite said sadly "SO WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE DO WITH WHAT WE CAN FIND IN THE WILD"

"That's alright. What we have is enough" Erdalla reassured, taking the toolbox back from Salazar and slinging it over her shoulder "Gosh, this is heavier than I expected. Nevertheless, we have everything we could get. Let's get a move on"

"Keh heh heh! Why don't we burn their home while we're at it? There will be no home to return to for scumbags like him!" I heard Gengar's distinctive voice boom back in the square. A loud cheer went up and I saw a spire of radiant flame erupt from where our base was. The townsfolk were burning our base to the ground…!

"Damn, he's closer than I'd like him to be. Let's flank near the back of Pokemon Square and hit the road from there!" Erdalla urged "We have until midnight to cover as much ground as we can. Let's go!"

"Right behind you!"

And so, our ill fated departure from Pokemon Square didn't come with tearful goodbyes or wishes of good for the future. Instead, it was happy cheering for the burning of our beloved home and shouts to the wind for my death. I even heard distant prayers of god to smite me down dead. Forget kidnappers, murderers and other outlaws. I was the lawbreaker the entire world wanted to disappear.

 **Thank goodness summer is almost here. With civics class and end-semester assignments and tests taking up my life, I hardly have time to work on my fanfics anymore. Luckily, summer will give me time to remedy that and hopefully finish this novelization by then. No dungeon exploring in this chapter, but it's a huge turning point in the story, so I hope you guys enjoyed it. If you want to be notified of when a new chapter comes out, favorite and follow. If you want to leave constructive criticism or praise, leave a review. Until next time!**


	10. Chapter 9: Criminals in Arms

PMD: Fateful Saviors

Chapter 9: Criminals in Arms

We slowed our running to a walk after a few hours. The head hunters who were in hot pursuit of us seemed to have stopped now, so we could afford to take a break. They'll be up and at us again with reinforcements and probably air support later, so we couldn't stay put for too long.

"So I know we're going to Mt Freeze, but let's talk tonight. How far should we go before stopping?" Salazar asked as we took shelter from the sun under a large tree. We just passed the Silent Chasm and Mt Thunder was close down the road "Because running straight to Mt Freeze in a single day is just going to get us killed off exhaustion"

"I have a plan in mind" Erdalla replied as she ate an apple while adjusting her eyepatch "Our first destination is Lapis Cave, which is the only way to get to Mt Blaze safely. I believe the Ninetales from the legend lives there, so we can seek it out and hear some real answers"

"WHY WOULD IT BE THERE? BZZT!"

"Ninetales is a nine-tailed fox that can breath fire. If it's anything true to its species, Mt Blaze is the place to go to find it" Erdalla explained "If we want to clear our names and find the truth behind the disasters, we have to talk to the legendary Ninetales itself"

"That's good and all, but why do we have to go through Lapis Cave? There's clearly a mountain range we can cross northeast of Mt Thunder to reach Mt Blaze, right?" I traced my finger from the thunderstruck peak of Mt Thunder to the volcano called Mt Blaze "Excuse my supposed cowardness, but I'd prefer to avoid fighting as much as possible. Running is already taxing our energy"

"I see your point, but we must go through Lapis Cave if we want to reach Mt Blaze discreetly, safely AND quickly" The Pikachu said, turning to me "For one, there are villages, towns and other civilizations along that mountain range. If we go through those, we'll be spotted instantly and be forced to fight"

"That makes sense" I replied glumly, glaring up at the sky. Dozens of Pelipper flew above us, their bills filled with papers. Wanted posters probably.

"With such a global crime like this, it's no surprise the word gets spread quickly" Salazar followed my scornful gaze "Within a day, everyone on the continent will know who to hunt. We won't be able to show our faces anywhere without being attacked"

"THEN LET'S TRY TO INTERCEPT THEM. BZZT!" Zeplin piped up, sparking with electricity "THEY ARE ALL CLUMPED TOGETHER. WE HAVE TWO ELECTRIC TYPES. LET'S FRY THEM! BZZT!"

"It won't matter. The posters will find their ways into towns and other areas eventually. Plus, we'll be making ourselves look MORE evil with senseless murder. Leave the Pelipper alone" Erdalla chewed her lip, clearing discontent "Anyway, another reason to take the Lapis Cave route is that there's a tunnel at the end that leads straight to Mt Blaze's dungeon entrance. If we try to enter through the mountain range, we'll be forced to go down a ravine to reach the entrance. The Lapis Cave route is generally safer"

"Have you been to Lapis Cave before, Erdalla? It sounds like you know a lot about it" Salazar pointed out and the Pikachu nodded.

"It's the furthest I ever been as an explorer. My parents took me there when they were still alive" Erdalla replied before standing up "Alright, looks like we got the plan settled. Let's continue moving. We rested here for too long"

We continued down the road towards Lapis Cave, battling both wild Pokemon and crafty bounty hunters along the way. Thankfully, they were no one famous or powerful like Team A.C.T, so we dispatched them with fairly low effort. Still, having to gauntlet through all these hunters and pursuit forces was taxing on our PP, energy and time. Oh and did I mention the occasional disaster rumbling through? We were already assaulted by two quakes and a minor hurricane. Now, a forest fire as we try to take a shortcut through some woods.

"Of all things to happen here, why a forest fire?!" Salazar growled as him, Zeplin and Erdalla raced through the forest trail to escape the blaze. I lumbered behind, dousing whatever I could with my water moves "Where did it even come from anyway?"

"BZZT! THE SUN WAS A BIT HARSHER THAN USUAL TODAY. MUST OF IGNITED A LEAF AROUND HERE AND SPREAD. BZZT!" Zeplin buzzed, narrowly dodging a flaming branch collapsing beside him before turning around "ALFRIN! HURRY UP! BZZT!"

"I'm coming! I'm-" Suddenly, I heard something deeper in the forest. Something wailing and crying. A baby? "Someone's caught in the fire around here! I'll find and rescue them. Just meet me at the end of the forest, alright?!"

"What?! Alfrin, are you insane?" Erdalla yelled over the burning chaos around us "Don't try to be a hero! You'll be caught if you try to rescue them!"

"Be right back!" I called back, ignoring Erdalla's cry of outrage as I dove into the flaming foliage. By watching Erdalla, I've gotten more creative and better at manipulating my moves. Water Gun would have just been a single blast before, but now I used it to create a raging water barrier around me, dispelling any flames that came close.

"Hello?! Can you hear me?" I yelled into the forest. I tried to follow the direction of the crying, but the more the forest burned, the harder it was to hear anything "If you're there, stay put! I'm coming to rescue you!"

"P-papa?! Papa, where are you? I'm over here!" I heard the voice rise and I quickly rushed towards it, avoiding falling trees and branches the best I could. The water barrier around me cut through the flames like riptide, but it drained my energy fast. I didn't know if I had enough time to get the kid out of here and protect both of us.

"Leon! Leon, are you around here?!" I heard another voice from my left. Must of been the parent "Sabin, now's a good time!"

"With pleasure!" Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind blew above me, extinguishing the nearby flames and clearing a path towards the kid. However, the fire was still raging all over the forest. It won't be long before it overtakes this area again. I forged ahead into the wood until I found a small Poochyena, huddled under a damp log.

"W-who are you? You're not my papa" The Poochyena glared at me, although I spotted fear in his eyes. Poor thing was probably traumatized by the disaster.

"I'm not, but I'm here to rescue you. I'm a certified rescue team member" I showed the Poochyena my rescue team badge on my toolbox "Come on. Someone cleared the fire around here with their wind, so I'll get you out of here safely and back home. Can you walk?"

"Yeah, but…" The Poochyena eyed me warily "You look like the guy on those wanted posters back home. Are you-"

"Leon! There you are!" Suddenly, a Mightyena came onto the scene. Instantly, he spotted me and his expression froze "You! You're…"

"You're Alfrin, the world destroyer. Sweet luck favors us!" A Pidgeot suddenly grabbed me with his talons, slamming me against a tree hard. Curses. I really should of listened to Erdalla and escaped with everyone else "So you're the one behind these disasters. Good! We can end this folly right here and now"

"Urk… fat chance. I won't…" I spat water in the Pidgeot's face, forcing him to drop me. Just as I landed on the ground, the Mightyena pounced, jaws wide to attack with Crunch. I quickly blasted mud into his eyes with Mud Shot while slamming him with my toolbox to repel him. I couldn't take down these two on my own. I had to get out of there and reunite with my party. While the Mightyena was on the ground, rubbing his eyes, I bolted past him to get back onto the trail.

"Not so fast!" Suddenly, a hurricane conjured beneath me and flung me into the air, letting the Pigeot catch me easily. He gave me a wide view of the burning forest below us "You're the cause of all this death and destruction. Look at what you've wrought!"

The Pidgeot's talons squeezed, crunching my body hard, making me gasp and wheeze with pain. The bird swooped down back into the forest, intending to grind me across the dirt when suddenly, thunder roared across the sky.

"Oh Alfrin. Why must you be like this…" I heard Erdalla's voice down below, etched with calm and stilled anger "Curse your bright heart"

A lightning bolt struck the Pidgeot at light speed, making it squawk with pain and anger as it dropped me. Luckily, the lightning didn't harm me but I took a hard fall onto the forest trail.

"Enough games Alfrin. Let's go already!" Erdalla urged, helping me up "Salazar and Zeplin are already out of the forest. We need to catch up to-"

"You're not going anywhere!" The Mightyena from before stepped into our path, teeth bared and ready to kill. The Pidgeot recovered from his shock and swooped down behind us, covering our only way out.

"Are you seriously prioritizing killing me over getting your kid out of here?!" I cried, anger replacing my pain. I was so distracted by the battle that I didn't notice the whole situation "The forest fire is still burning around us you know!"

"Killing you will mend the world of all the disasters. That is the only way!" The Mightyena growled "Now hold still and die!"

"Not on my life" Erdalla let loose a volley of electricity from her hand, but the Mightyena reacted faster, bashing her in the face with Quick Attack. The Pikachu staggered backwards before recovering, looking red with anger "Oh, you don't want to know me when I'm angry. Now **move** before I smite this entire forest!"

"Stop, stop! Stop fighting!" The Poochyena kid from before yelled as he bounded in between us and the Mightyena "Papa, that Mudkip waded through the fire to try and rescue me! Why are you attacking him?"

"Leon, you already know why. He's-"

"We're not the ones causing the disasters. Simple as that" Suddenly, Erdalla grabbed onto me with both of her hands "Now get the damn kid out of here before YOU put him in more danger. We're out of here"

In a flash, we blitzed past the Mightyena and Pidgeot duo with Quick Attack, dashing off into a run towards the forest exit.

"What were you thinking back there?!" Erdalla growled, "You are the biggest criminal on the planet and yet, you choose to expose yourself to save some random Poochyena? Why?!"

"I have to prove my innocence in more ways than just finding out the truth" I replied "Say we found Ninetales and they confirmed I wasn't the culprit behind the disasters. Who would believe us? The disasters would still persist and there wouldn't be any obvious proof that I'm not the culprit. Nothing would change"

"And you're saying that saving Pokemon from disasters will prove your innocence to them" Erdalla had a doubtful expression on her face "They'll just think you're guilty of your crime and trying to amend. Ultimately, they'll still want to kill you to end the threat of the disasters. To reflect back your words, nothing would change. So why are you doing it?"

I sighed "Perhaps it's giving me a sense of hope in this bleak situation. It reminds me of the better days when WEREN'T the biggest criminals in the world"

"And you'll stake your life for that brief sense of enjoyment" Erdalla bit her lip "And then get that joy quickly squandered when a Pidgeot tries to grind you across the ground"

"Maybe I'm foolish for doing it, but I at least want to continue helping Pokemon and prove to the world that I'm not the evil, souless bastard who brought ruin to this world" I argued "Is that really so bad?"

"It is if you want to live!" Erdalla snarled back "Look, we'll find Ninetales at Mt Blaze, hear the real truth from them and I'll drag them by the god damn neck back to Pokemon Square to reveal it to everyone. If you're innocent, great! Ninetales will vouch for it and nobody will try to hurt you anymore"

"And if I'm guilty?"

"Then it's simply destiny. I suppose I'll have to kill you" Erdalla shrugged nonchalantly, her past dryness coming back "But regardless, stop risking your life for unnecessary reasons. You're not the one causing the disasters, but if you die before we hear the truth from Ninetales, it would be all for nothing"

"Fine. But if we come across a Pokemon in distress, us collectively will help rescue them. Can we at least do that?" I pleaded and Erdalla sighed, but nodded.

"Sure. We're still a rescue team after all. Team Lazulian hasn't died in the slightest"

We soon made it to the end of the forest, where Salazar and Zeplin were waiting. The Pidgeot and Mightyena wisely didn't pursue us.

"NEXT TIME YOU RUN OFF LIKE THAT, I'M GOING TO THUNDER WAVE YOU TO KEEP YOU IN PLACE. BZZT!" Zeplin buzzed angrily "WHY DID YOU RUN INTO THE FLAMES LIKE THAT? BZZT!"

"I'll explain later. For now, let's press on ahead to Lapis Cave" I stared up ahead on the beaten road, which led straight to a rather ordinary looking cave. However, what made it special was the glowing blue light emitting from inside, which signified it was a mystery dungeon "Good thing the forest fire passed"

"Yeah. We felt a great gust of wind roar by not too long ago. That doused the flames" Salazar told me "Whoever could do that must be a really strong Flying type Pokemon"

"A strong Flying type Pokemon… it couldn't have been that Pidgeot back there" I murmured as we made our way towards Lapis Cave. I glanced back and saw the forest completely released from the flame's consumption "There's no way it could conjure a storm that strong"

A disquieting thought dawned on me that whoever conjured those gales was also around the area and we really didn't need more enemies to fight. If we had to fight them, I couldn't see ourselves beating them either, given that their storm subjugated an entire forest fire in one blast.

"We'll be safe in Lapis Cave for the time being" Erdalla assured me, reading my expression "Believe me, the gust Salazar mentioned troubles me too. But they can't touch us in a rocky dungeon like Lapis Cave"

"I hope so…"

Finally, we reached the entrance of Lapis Cave. On the journey here, our apple and berry supplies depleted quite a bit so we would have to be careful inside the dungeon.

"Alright everyone, here we are. I've explored this place before and last time I was here, it was filled with Rock and Ground type Pokemon like you'd expect" Erdalla gestured to the glowing cave entrance "But as we saw before, the Pokemon you'd see in the dungeon fluctuated thanks to the disasters. So be careful"

"You remind us that every time" Salazar grumbled "Let's just getting going into the dungeon already. Can't be that hard, right?"

"It shouldn't be. Let's move" Erdalla nodded and led us into the dark cave. The Pikachu held out her hand and an orb of golden electricity sparked to life, lighting the way for us. Sparkling blue crystals gleamed and reflected the light made by the lightning ball. That's probably where the lapis part in Lapis Cave's name came from.

"You know, these shards of crystal and lapis on the floor could make for some nice weapons" Salazar noticed, nudging a couple shards with his toe "Just chuck them at the enemy or use them as stabbing weapons. Handy for saving PP"

"EXCEPT NONE OF US SAVE FOR ERDALLA CAN USE THEM. BZZT!" Zeplin pointed out "YOUR ARMS CAN'T HOLD ONTO ANYTHING TO SAVE YOUR LIFE, I DON'T EVEN HAVE HANDS AND ALFRIN'S ON ALL FOURS. BZZT!"

"You're right on us two, but that doesn't mean Alfrin can't use these shards as weapons. He's got his hands free" The Scyther replied.

"Sure, but I like keeping my distance in a fight" I said as I shot down an incoming Zubat with Water Gun "Plus, I need to be on all fours to stand properly. It doesn't feel right going on three"

"Zeplin's argument stands. Only I can use the shards among us" To demonstrate, Erdalla snatched a gleaming piece of crystal from the ground, using it to instantly slice the head off an incoming Illumise "It's helpful. Stops me from sapping my energy with my moves"

"Why would you want to use the shards anyways? You've got gigantic-size versions of them as your arms" I told Salazar as I evaded a Nidorino's Horn Attack, slaying it with Mud Shot. Surprisingly, most of the Pokemon in the dungeon kept their distance from our party, which I appreciated.

"I never said I wanted to use them. I just pointed out they could be useful auxiliary weapons for us" The Scyther chopped an incoming Golbat in half that came from our right "Max Elixirs are rarely found in dungeons and the only way to get a high supply is to buy them in towns. And you already know we can't go into any towns now"

"Which means we have to conserve our PP" Erdalla held her hand in front of my face, stopping my attack "Let me and Salazar handle the enemies. We'll need you refreshed and ready for Mt Blaze"

"...Alright then"

Beyond it's dazzling crystals, Lapis Cave wasn't a very exciting dungeon. Like Erdalla speculated earlier, there weren't any Rock or Ground types in the dungeon. Instead, it was populated mostly by Zubats and Golbats, with the occasional Nidorino, Nidorina, Illumise and Volbeat. Rarely, we'd see Bagons and Tangelas, but all were cut down by Erdalla and Salazar's blades. Beyond that, Lapis Cave was just tediously long.

"Okay, this hopefully isn't Sinister Woods level of long, but this is seriously such a dull dungeon" I complained "How far are we until the end Erdalla?"

"Don't complain about it. A dull dungeon means we're safe and can afford to let down our guard a little" The Pikachu replied, throwing another crystal shard like a dart to impale a Bagon "Anyways, we're near the end of the dungeon. I remember it being at least around ten floors long. We've just got down to the eleventh floor not too long ago"

"SINISTER WOODS WAS THIRTEEN FLOORS LONG, SO THAT SHOULD SET A STANDARD ON HOW LONG DUNGEONS WOULD BE FROM HERE ON OUT. BZZT!" Zeplin said "YOU'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO TOUGH IT OUT ALFRIN. NOT GOING TO GET EASIER OR QUICKER VERY SOON. BZZT!"

I sighed "Of course it isn't…"

"I'm back everyone. Only managed to find two Apples and three Oran Berries around this floor" To replenish our supplies, we sent Salazar to scour the floor for any items and if he had to raid homes and nests to get them, so be it. I felt bad for doing that, but we needed all we could get to brave Mt Blaze and Mt Freeze. They didn't look like very pleasant dungeons to journey through. Some time later, we reached the fourteenth floor of the dungeon.

"We should be near the end. Pace yourselves" Erdalla encouraged all of us "We'll take a break to rest before taking on Mt Blaze. Depends if the night is out already by the time we get out of here"

"Hurry, we're almost the end!" Suddenly, we heard a strained voice call from across the floor.

"I told you thousands of times already to control your urge to steal gold!" Another voice replied in an annoyed manner "Now look what you got us into. Just drop it already!"

"Look, I can't control it. Now do you want to get out of here or get caught by that hunter?" The first voice snapped back. The second voice didn't reply "Okay, so let's continue moving!"

"Stop, you thieves! Get back here!" A third voice yelled.

"What should we do? We're bound to cross paths with them if they're heading for the exit" Salazar pointed out.

"Take out the thieves obviously. They're taking advantage of the fact that everyone's out for Alfrin" Erdalla quickly sped off towards the voices "Hurry along everyone!"

"Ha ha! You won't be able to catch us once we're in Mt Blaze!" The first voice revealed itself to be a Sableye, who clutched an abnormally shiny chunk of gold in his hands "Natalie, hurry up!"

"Well, excuse me for trying to fend off our aggressor!" The second voice, which belonged to a Mawile growled back as she bashed into a Pinsir with Headbutt. It didn't faze the stag beetle Pokemon, but it at least made him flinch. I assumed the Pinsir was the one the Sableye stole the gold from.

"Natalie, stop fighting and get over here! The exit's right around the corner!" The Sableye called, beckoning his arm over. However, just as he turned back, Erdalla shoulder-bashed him to the ground, the chunk of gold flying out of his hands.

"Justice doesn't let criminals like you run free" Erdalla intoned as I picked up the gold chunk from the ground. Salazar and Zeplin flew above me and surrounded the Sableye on all sides.

"Wait a second, you're…" The Sableye locked his jeweled eyes on me before turning in the direction of the Pinsir battling the Mawile "Hey, you big lug! I got a bigger prize for you than that gold!"

"Shut up! Don't try to trick me like…" The Pinsir turned and saw me. Suddenly, the blood drained from his face from shock before twisting back into a dark grin "Alfrin, the world destroyer!"

The Pinsir ceased his attack on Mawile and charged, horns poised to impale me. I rolled aside, tossing the gold chunk to Salazar before spraying Water Gun all over Pinsir's eyes before following up with Mud Shot. The stag beetle stumbled back, blinded by the two attacks before Erdalla slammed her hands on Pinsir's back holding him in place.

"Hah!" Erdalla's hands erupted in electricity, electrocuting the Pinsir from the inside out and burning the stag beetle to a crisp. With that threat over with, we turned to the Sableye only to find him gone completely.

"What the- Salazar and Zeplin! How did you not see the Sableye bolt out?" Erdalla growled, annoyed.

"Wild Pokemon assaulted us while you two dealt with the Pinsir. We were distracted" The Scyther apologized "But why does it matter? It was only a small chunk of gold that got away"

"I guess so. It's not like we could of turned him in ourselves anyways" Erdalla relaxed before noticing someone limping from behind Zeplin "Wait, that's…"

"Ugh. Stupid traitor, scape-goater…" The Mawile named Natalie muttered a string of curses to the Sableye before noticing us "Oh, I guess you're the bounty hunters sent to capture us? Fine, just take me in already. I can't put up any more of a fight"

"I thought you'd know already given that the Sableye and Pinsir knew" I said to the Mawile "I'm Alfrin, the infamous "world destroyer". We aren't bounty hunters"

Natalie looked mildly shocked "You're surprisingly calm for someone who has everyone in the world hunting you down"

"I've gotten used to it" I admitted.

"So if you're not bounty hunters, then who are you? What are you?" Natalie asked "If Alfrin here is such an infamous criminal, then what are you lot doing associating with him?"

"We… used to be a rescue team. Team Lazulian from Pokemon Square" Erdalla said with a trace of sorrow marked on her face "We still are technically, but…"

"Then let me join you"

"What?! You're putting yourself in more danger by following me!" I protested "Why would you want to join us?"

"Well, you killed the Pinsir that was pursuing us, so I owe you a debt. Plus, it's safer to travel together, yes? I could protect you and you can protect me" The Mawile shrugged "Honestly, you seem like a good person. I can't believe you're the one causing all these disasters"

"At least someone believes me. Nobody else seems to be the same aside from my friends here" I said glumly "But alright, you're in"

"Alfrin, are you sure that's a good idea? She was associating with that Sableye, who stole the gold" Salazar warned me "Isn't she an accomplice to a criminal by virtue of that?"

"AND THAT MOUTH ON THE BACK OF HER HEAD LOOKS LIKE IT COULD SWALLOW YOU IN ONE BITE. BZZT!" Zeplin wasn't known for his subtleness and Natalie glared at the Magnemite while tugging on her back-mouth "IT'LL BE DANGEROUS TO EVEN WALK BEHIND HER. BZZT!"

"That Sableye, Gildan's a… friend of mine. Former now that he left me at the mercy of the Pinsir and you" Natalie ignored Zeplin while gritting her teeth. Bitterness was tinged in her voice "And for that, I want to chase him down and give him a proper beating. For all the trouble he caused me my entire life"

"We are just so happening to be heading to Mt Blaze. That's where Gildan is going I assume?" Erdalla asked and Natalie nodded "Alright, you can tag along with us. But for caution's sake, I want Salazar and Zeplin to watch your every move. If you're an assassin sent to kill Alfrin, I'll kill you myself"

Natalie smiled lightly "Fine by me. All I want is to be safe and kick Gildan's face in"

"You won't be very safe travelling with us, but whatever you say" I sighed while tossing the Mawile an Oran Berry "More allies is always welcome. Let's get moving to Mt Blaze. Gildan shouldn't have gotten far"

Meanwhile, the Sableye made it all the way to the foot of Mt Blaze, out of breath. He sat down, panting hard while clutching the gold chunk.

"Ha… ha… I hope Natalie got out of that safely. She's a good fighter, so she should be fine" Gildan examined the gold chunk he obtained "All that for this, but it was so, so worth it. It's shininess and luster is unmatched and it's so refined and smooth…"

"Keh heh heh! I'll be taking that!" Suddenly, a Gengar materialized into thin air and snatched the crystal away from the Sableye. Gildan jumped to his feet, growling intensely while his jeweled eyes shone threateningly.

"Oh stop with that. You know you can't touch me. Keh heh heh!" Gengar laughed, tossing the gold crystal between his hands playfully. Gildan shivered with fear that one mistake and that beautiful chunk was shattering onto the ground "Listen here. If you want this gold back, I want you to do something for me"

Gildan paused. He looked behind himself to the Lapis Cave exit and the gold flickering in Gengar's hands. In the end, greed won him over.

"... What is my task?"

 _Our team:_

 _\- Erdalla, Pikachu: Exiled Leader_

 _Level 24_

 _Moves: Thunder Punch, Quick Attack, Thunder Shock and Thunder Wave_

 _\- Alfrin, Mudkip: Bringer of Disaster_

 _Level 23_

 _Moves: Mud Shot, Water Gun, Headbutt and Mud Slap_

 _\- Salazar, Scyther: Sharp Confidant_

 _Level 21_

 _Moves: Slash, Pursuit, Fury Cutter and Quick Attack_

 _\- Zeplin, Magnemite: Mechanical Companion_

 _Level 19_

 _Moves: Thunder Shock, Metal Sound, Sonic Boom and Spark_

 _\- Natalie, Mawile: Unlucky Criminal_

 _Level 22_

 _Moves: Headbutt, Bite, Faint Attack and Vicegrip_

 **Whew, this took longer than necessary. Summer school isn't a great way to take up your summer. Anyways, this chapter cools down from the intensity of the last one with a rather mundane dungeon, so I decided to spice it up with a couple extra scenes, to show just how dire the situation was in this world and what Alfrin and the group wants to do about it. Also Natalie the Mawile joins us. Coming up next is Mt Blaze, a dungeon just as boring as Lapis Cave if not for it's awesome music and boss fight at the end. If you want to be notified of when a new chapter comes out, favorite and follow. If you want to leave constructive criticism or praise, leave a review. Until next time!**


	11. Chapter 10: Impassioned Flames

PMD: Fateful Saviors

Chapter 10: Impassioned Flames

The sky was dark by the time we exited from Lapis Cave and reached Mt Blaze's fiery entrance. Surely by now, everyone from Pokemon Square would be in hot pursuit of us, so we couldn't waste any time. I hoped they would stop trying to pursue us past Mt Blaze, but something told me Pokemon Square housed some persistent and stubborn hunters. A literal volcano wouldn't stop them if they had an adequate Water type Pokemon.

"We've come a long way since leaving Pokemon Square. Should we make camp and rest?" Salazar asked Erdalla "All of us are worn to the bone from running and fighting in the dungeon. Except for Natalie obviously"

Erdalla glanced back at the Lapis Cave exit, which shimmered with the usual astral blue light. Then she gazed up at the sky, where the moon gradually passed over with the stars glittering "It seems to be a little after midnight, so the hunters of Pokemon Square are free to pursue us now. Team A.C.T can't stop them"

"It's an extraordinary distance from here to Pokemon Square. I doubt anyone other than a Flying type can cover it in a single night" I pointed out "We should be safe to rest here for the time being to regain our energy. We'll each take turns watching each other while we sleep just in case hunters emerge from Lapis Cave"

"Alright. We'll sleep until dawn at minimum, so about five hours from now. Even with a Quick Seed, nobody can cross the entire continent that fast" The Pikachu nodded "There's five of us, so we'll each take an hour to watch over the others"

"I can take watch for longer" Natalie volunteered "I'm not as tired as you guys, so all I need is an hour long nap to refuel myself"

"EXCEPT YOU KNOW… YOU'RE AN OUTSIDER. WE STILL DON'T KNOW YOUR TRUE INTENTIONS. BZZT!" Zeplin pointed out and Natalie winced "NO OFFENSE, BUT WE CAN'T TRUST YOU TO WATCH OVER US WHILE WE SLEEP YET. YOU COULD BE AN ASSASSIN HIRED TO KILL ALFRIN. BZZT!"

"Yeah, that's sensible" Natalie admitted "So I'll watch over the entrance with someone else. Then you can keep an eye on me and your friends at the same time. Plus, if hunters attacked, two fully-awake Pokemon is more effective than one for fending them off"

"True. But before we get some shut-eye, let's have some dinner" I looked around us "Salazar, help me find some rocks and kindling. We need to get a fire starting"

"Will do"

"And we'll get the tent set up along with any beds we have" Erdalla nodded "Zeplin and Natalie, help me unpack. I hope you packed the bedrolls that were in my closet"

"W-WHAT?! I DIDN'T SEE ANY BEDROLLS!"

"Wonderful. Now we only have two beds to use…"

Not too long later, we got a fire going and were roasting berries and meat over sticks. Technically, it was unsafe to send smoke into the air with our campfire, but we were so close to Mt Blaze that it didn't matter. If we went into Mt Freeze territory though, a fire would look far too obvious to a skybound flier.

"So what's the plan going forward?" I asked, pulling a piece of roasted Farfetch'd off my stick. We had to save restoration berries like Oran and Sitrus for dungeons, so we had to sacrifice some wild Pokemon along the way to provide for our meals. Luckily Salazar was an excellent hunter "I know we intend to find Ninetales here in Mt Blaze, but if it's not here, where would we go?"

"BZZT! WHY WOULD IT NOT BE HERE IN MT BLAZE? IT'S THE PERFECT HOME FOR ALL FIRE TYPES" Zeplin commented. As a sentient magnet, Zeplin didn't need to eat, although he looked fairly disappointed by that fact.

"That may be true, but I understand Alfrin's concern. If this Ninetales is so legendary, it wouldn't be found in an obvious place like Mt Blaze" Erdalla explained "I just wanted to check here first because it's en route to where I REALLY believe Ninetales resides: Mt Freeze"

"Mt Freeze… that makes sense. It's a perilous, frigid wasteland that not many Pokemon would travel to. But as a Fire type, Ninetales can thrive there without much issue" Salazar nodded "There's no better place on the continent than there to hide"

"If our true destination is Mt Freeze, can we avoid going through Mt Blaze then?" Natalie asked, then gestured to Salazar and Zeplin "Three of us will be at a major disadvantage there. I can feel myself melting already"

"Sadly no. There's no other way directly to Mt Freeze than going up and down Mt Blaze" Erdalla shook her head "Look around us. On both sides of us are cliffs. Unless we want to plummet to our deaths, going around Mt Blaze isn't an option"

Salazar gazed up the glowing summit of Mt Blaze "Natalie is right. This place is a haven for Fire types everywhere. Three of us will risk a messy, fiery death if we try to go through here. Not to mention, there might be a legendary Fire type Pokemon lurking on the summit"

Erdalla's face darkened "You might be right on the last part"

"What do you mean?" I asked. The Farfetch'd meat suddenly didn't feel so good in my stomach.

"Alfrin, do you remember when we fought Zapdos at Mt Thunder a few weeks ago?" Erdalla turned to me "Zapdos is part of a legendary trio of Pokemon: the elemental birds"

"And you think there might be one atop Mt Blaze?"

"Yes. In particular, Moltres: the immortal phoenix of fire" Erdalla replied grimly "Mt Blaze should be it's home. The last of the trio would theoretically live in Mt Freeze, Articuno: the glacial princess"

"BZZT! IF MOLTRES IS ANYTHING LIKE ZAPDOS BACK AT MT THUNDER, WE'RE TOAST! LITERALLY!" Zeplin buzzed worriedly "IF WE HAVE TO FIGHT IT, THERE'S NO WAY ME, SALAZAR AND NATALIE CAN LIVE THE DAY. BZZT!"

"Are you sure there's no other way to get to Mt Freeze?" I asked Erdalla as I set down my charred stick. I opened my toolbox to find my map "Because Zeplin is right. If Moltres really is here, nobody but me will live the journey realistically"

I looked down on my map, scanning the area we were in "Maybe we can backtrack through Lapis Cave and-"

"No" Erdalla interrupted, shaking her head "We're all exhausted from our original trip through Lapis Cave. If we rest and go down it again at dawn, it'll eat up too much time. We'll surely be caught by our pursuers. Mt Blaze is our fastest way to Mt Freeze and I'm willing to take the risk. Besides, I have a secret weapon that can protect us"

Erdalla opened her toolbox and pulled out a Rainy Orb.

"Just one Rainy Orb" Salazar said "And that'll protect us for like, one floor. You know this dungeon is bound to be as long or longer than Lapis Cave, right?"

"I know there's a high chance of us dying inside there, but please…"

"No" Salazar's tone suddenly turned ice cold, surprising us "If you're so adamant about going into Mt Blaze and facing down Moltres, go right ahead. I for one want to survive and I have a better chance of doing that by becoming a wild Pokemon again"

Erdalla's eyes widened "Salazar, don't you dare be-"

"BZZT! I… I AGREE WITH SALAZAR. THERE'S NO CHANCE OF ME SURVIVING THROUGH ALL OF MT BLAZE. I'M SORRY, BUT I CAN'T GO IN THERE WITH YOU" Zeplin said sadly "I'LL TAKE MY CHANCES WITH THE BOUNTY HUNTERS FROM POKEMON SQUARE THAN MOLTRES. BZZT!"

"And what, risk fighting Team A.C.T? They're leagues more dangerous than Moltres!" Erdalla started to look panicked and I was too. Salazar and Zeplin looked to be on the verge of deserting Team Lazulian, just like Howard and Erina "L-look here, you two. You can't just abandon us when we need you two the most!"

"We won't be any use to you inside Mt Blaze" The Scyther replied simply "You two can survive in there just fine. Make the rest of the journey on your own"

"How will you guys get to Mt Freeze then?!"

"We won't" Salazar glared at Erdalla "Erdalla, I didn't sign up to Team Lazulian to get murdered by the elemental gods of fire and ice. I have a life to live and I don't want to squander on it on a pointless quest"

"Pointless?!" Erdalla stepped up, throwing her stick on the ground to get in Salazar's face "You think saving the world from natural disasters is pointless?!"

"Yes!" The Scyther shouted back "This legendary Ninetales is just that. A myth. A legend. They probably aren't even alive at this point!"

"You can't just give up like that!"

"Yes, I can" Salazar growled in response "Look, I'm all for preventing the disasters, but if I have to fight gods to achieve that, then I'll have to step away. There's no point when we don't even know what our end objective is. None of us know if this Ninetales is even alive anymore to tell us the truth. Maybe Gengar was right"

"No! I can't have despicable, stupid-minded TRAITORS in our midst!" Erdalla gritted her teeth, flaring her hand in electricity "Hold still and I'll make this quick! I can't believe you would abandon and betray us at a time like this. Run like the coward you are before I kill you!"

"ENOUGH!" I screamed as I slammed my foot on the ground, causing a minor quake that broke Salazar and Erdalla away "Enough fighting and arguing. Both of you!"

"But Alfrin, he-"

"SHUT UP!" I took a deep breath, calming myself down "Erdalla, stop doing this for my sake. Salazar, Natalie and Zeplin have the right to step out of this quest if they want to. They have the right to doubt it. They have their own lives to take care of. We can't force them to go into Mt Blaze with us"

"Alfrin…" Erdalla brought down her hand, electricity fading away. She looked mortified and ashamed "I…"

"Salazar, I know you don't want to continue fighting with us. I especially understand that you don't want to go into Mt Blaze with us" I walked over to the guilty-looking Scyther, showing him my map "But in case you still want to go with us to Mt Freeze, fly down this cliff back to ground level and wait for us at Frosty Forest. You too Zeplin"

"Alf…"

"Take the night to make your choice" I rolled back the map and shot water into the campfire to douse it "Natalie, you can't fly like Salazar and Zeplin can. You're free to go back into Lapis Cave if you want"

"I… I'll go with you. I have to repay you for saving me from the Pinsir and Gildan is still in there" The Mawile shook her head "I can't leave you two alone inside Mt Blaze"

"Okay. If you change your mind, talk to Zeplin. He should be able to bring you down the cliff with his magnetism" I sighed. This argument laid a heavy weight on my heart. I needed to sleep "Now we rest. Natalie and Salazar, take first watch"

"... Understood"

Me and Erdalla took the two beds while Zeplin slept in midair. I wondered if he even needed a bed to begin with. The argument kept me awake though and I could hear Natalie and Salazar quietly talking by the Lapis Cave exit. I understood what both Erdalla and Salazar were trying to argue. Up against Moltres, only I had a chance at survival, but it didn't reassure me that only three of us would be taking it on. Even at a high disadvantage, having Zeplin and Salazar at our backs would be reassuring. They could provide an extra hand with seeds and orbs or something. At the same time, they had an extremely high chance of dying by Moltres and no Reviver Seed would restore a pile of ash. It was necessary to keep the two out of Mt Blaze to keep them alive. Natalie wasn't any better, but why did she choose to tag along with us?

"Uhh, excuse me? Is this a bad time?" A new voice asked. I opened my eyes and got up, seeing that a Sableye has entered our camp. He must of been Gildan, the Sableye who abandoned Natalie back in Lapis Cave "You're a rescue team, right? Can I ask you guys something?"

"Gildan! What the hell are you doing here?!" Natalie marched over to the Sableye with an angry expression "Oh for god's sake, you lost the gold crystal. Let me guess. You're going to ask us to help retrieve it in Mt Blaze"

"You know me so well Natalie!" Gildan grinned, clearly soaking in Natalie's anger like he did it everyday "Yeah, that's what I want to ask. You'll help me take back my stolen gold crystal and in exchange, I'll uhh… join your rescue team. You look like you need an extra fighting hand"

"Don't do it. Gildan is a vile, scheming weakling who can barely hold his own in a fight. He used me as a scapegoat more than once" Natalie warned me "He will be of no use to us. Just let me kill him for all his abuse and crimes already"

"What?! You wound me Natalie!" Gildan feigned hurtfulness "I can fight. You're just so much better at it that I let you do it. Besides, I have other talents besides battle prowess"

"Like?" I asked and Natalie gave me a withering look, clearly telling me not to trust Gildan. I ignored her. As vile as the Sableye may be, we needed anyone we can get now that Salazar and Zeplin would leave the party.

"I overheard your plight about taking on Mt Blaze and Moltres with your Fire-weak teammates, so I bring these as gifts!" Gildan opened the sack he carried and showed me many crystal balls among seeds, berries and other utility items "Rainy Orbs, Invisify Orbs, Pure Seeds and so much more. Mt Blaze will be a breeze with these"

"He obtained all of those by stealing. This man is a thief to the core" Natalie insisted "He would rob you blind at the first opportunity. Don't trust him. Don't let him bribe you"

I closed my eyes, weighing the decision carefully. On one hand, Gildan's supplies and tools would absolutely make Mt Blaze easier to handle and can nearly guarantee Salazar, Zeplin and Natalie's survival. On the other hand, would Gildan's tools save them against Moltres and can I trust him? Natalie attests to him being a thief and scapegoater, so he's clearly not trustworthy.

"Alright Gildan. We'll accept your services in exchange for helping you retrieve your golden crystal" I nodded and Natalie yelped in shock "But you should know that our party can't move immediately. How far has the thief gotten?"

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that. I can't imagine them even being able to clear Mt Blaze solo" Gildan shrugged "Whatever time you want to leave is fine. All we need to do is track down the thief, retrieve the crystal and then you have my eternal servitude. That a good deal?"

"It's not. There are so many holes in your story here that-"

"Enough Natalie. That's enough arguing for today" My mind was worn down by all the internal chaos that was happening around us "I'm going back to bed. Gildan, join Natalie and Salazar in our nightly watch. They'll fill you in on the details"

"Alright. This is going to be so much fun!" Gildan's eyes sparkled with excitement and Natalie simply groaned, facepalming.

"You shouldn't have let him on" Natalie said as a final warning "I'll keep a close eye on him to make sure he doesn't rob any of you guys. You can thank me later"

"S-sure…" I yawned as I settled back into my bed "Goodnight"

Several hours later, Erdalla woke me up at the crack of dawn. I didn't recall being called to take my shift, but that didn't matter now. It was time to take on Mt Blaze. As I explained Gildan's proposal to everyone at breakfast, both Salazar and Erdalla bit their lips.

"Sorry to be blunt, but I can't trust some petty thief to protect us against Mt Blaze and Moltres" The Scyther shook his head "I'll stick with Alfrin's plan to meet you guys down at Frosty Forest"

"BZZT! SAME HERE" Zeplin agreed and I grinned. At least the two wouldn't fully desert Team Lazulian. One dungeon without them I can handle.

"I agree, but I don't have the luxury of avoiding Mt Blaze like you two" Erdalla sighed "While I hate it, I guess I have to put my life in Gildan's hands"

"Don't worry about it too much. With Salazar and Zeplin gone, we now only have four Pokemon entering the dungeon" I reassured "That's the maximum amount generally allowed in a dungeon. Anymore would just attract too much wild Pokemon"

"I guess that's true" Erdalla chewed her lip before standing up "Well, we wasted too much time being idle here. It's time to go"

"Right" I doused the breakfast campfire while everyone else packed up their things. Salazar and Zeplin bade us farewell and good luck before leaping off the cliff, using their flight and levitation to safely make it down to the ground. With that, only me, Erdalla, Natalie and Gildan were left.

"Into Mt Blaze we go" Erdalla said firmly "Obviously, this place is going to be filled with Fire type Pokemon. Alfrin, hold the front and Natalie, stay close to us. Gildan can assist with his seeds and orbs"

"Got it" I nodded "Let's go"

We entered Mt Blaze and were immediately assaulted by immense heat. Being outside Mt Blaze was hot enough, but this was a level I wasn't accustomed to. Even as a Water type, I felt myself bubble and boil. I couldn't imagine how Natalie felt.

"Ooh, this heat is making me dizzy already. Heat strokes are never good…" Gildan gasped before reaching into his sack, pulling out a crystal ball "This should make it better. Rain, come to me!"

The Sableye shattered the orb onto the floor, causing stark grey clouds to form above us. They rained down sheets of cold rain and I could hear the unholy screams of all the Fire type Pokemon on the floor.

Erdalla winced at that "Let's try to find the stairs quickly. By the way Gildan, can you save at least two Rainy Orbs for the summit? In case we need to fight Moltres, I'd like to have it's firepower weakened"

"Will do! We can skip floors with Pure Seeds and Invisify Orbs instead" The Sableye nodded earnestly before turning to me "For now though, enjoy the benefits of the rain! Your Water type attacks should get turbo charged by it. Try it out!"

I decided to try it out on a Pidgeotto who was swooping down towards us, clearly identifying us as the ones causing the rain. I shot my Water Gun at it and saw it amplify into a deadly Water Pulse, knocking the Pidgeotto dead out of the sky and tumbling to the ground. If the rain enhanced my attack that much, I couldn't imagine how it would be for stronger Water types. Maybe I should try learning how to summon rain on my own soon…

"With the rain up like this, we shouldn't have any trouble getting to the stairs. The wild Fire types are too distracted by it to attack us" Erdalla's hand pulsed with electricity "There's only the Pidgeotto to worry about and luckily, rain makes Electric moves easier to pull off too"

To demonstrate, Erdalla snapped her fingers and a mighty Thunder roared down, smiting an Pidgeotto coming for Gildan to dust. If we had rain on our side against Moltres, he should be a cinch with my enhanced Water type moves and Erdalla's Electric attacks. I wished Salazar and Zeplin stuck with us. Rain kept them safe and I hated being apart from them.

"Concentrate" I scolded myself silently "Gildan probably doesn't have enough Rainy Orbs to use on every floor. Salazar and Zeplin would still be in danger if they were here. It was the right move to send them off"

With Gildan's repertoire of seeds and orbs, the Mt Blaze floors passed extremely quickly. Either we disabled the entire floor's population with rain, warped to the stairs with Pure Seeds, sneak by invisibly with Invisify Orbs or transform the entire floor into one room with the One Room Orb, Gildan had it all. Really, the only threats at this point were the Rapidashs who appeared on the higher floors, whom I easily destroyed with my Water Pulses.

"So any particular place we should look for your gold crystal?" Erdalla asked Gildan "Come to think of it, what's so special about it anyway?"

"Sableye by nature are into shiny things. Anything shiny instantly attracts their attention" Natalie explained before glaring at Gildan behind her "So much so that they'll steal it the instant they lay eyes on it"

Sableye smiled while laughing softly, clearly embarrassed "Hey, I can't help my nature. But seriously though, that gold crystal wasn't an ordinary chunk of precious metal. Inside it was a treasure! I had to have it!"

"A treasure. I haven't heard that before from you" Natalie rolled her eyes "What is this so-called treasure?"

"I'm not exactly sure what it is, but there was a fiery orange gem trapped inside the gold crystal!" Gildan exclaimed "When I held it, it felt so warm and fuzzy. It must of came from here"

"Hmm… a fiery orange gem that felt warm to the touch" Erdalla thought aloud "Sounds interesting, but where should we start looking for it? We have no idea where your thief even went"

"Oh, I got that covered. Watch this" Gildan pulled another orb from his sack and broke it beneath his feet, causing an astral blue projection of the entire floor to be conjured. The projection was a bird's eye view, so we could see everything on the floor, including the stairs.

"This Luminous Orb lasts quite a while, so I can use it to scan the floor and check if the crystal is around" The Sableye grinned "Shouldn't take too long. I bet the thief was already killed by the wild Fire types on the later floors!"

Natalie frowned "Aren't you worried about a wild Pokemon picking is up and taking it elsewhere?"

"Meh. Us or the rain will catch them" Gildan shrugged "Now then, let's pick up the pace. The crystal isn't going to wait forever!"

On that note, we ascended to the eleventh floor of Mt Blaze…

 _Our team:_

 _\- Erdalla, Pikachu: Impassioned Leader_

 _Level 24_

 _Moves: Thunder Punch, Quick Attack, Thunder Shock and Thunder Wave_

 _\- Alfrin, Mudkip: Mediator of Chaos  
_

 _Level 23_

 _Moves: Mud Shot, Water Gun, Headbutt and Water Pulse  
_

 _\- Natalie, Mawile: Cautioned Ex-Criminal  
_

 _Level 22_

 _Moves: Headbutt, Bite, Faint Attack and Vicegrip_

 _\- Gildan, Sableye: Suspicious Thief_

 _Level 19_

 _Moves: Shadow Ball, Faint Attack, Night Shade and Fake Out_

 **Well, that was more words than action than I thought it would be, but oh well. I just finished summer school, so I should be able to release more chapters at a faster pace. My mind is worn after writing all this, so I don't have much afterwords. If you want to be notified of when a new chapter comes out, favorite and follow. If you want to give constructive criticism or praise, leave a review. Until next time and goodnight!**


	12. Chapter 11: Wings of Renewal

PMD: Fateful Saviors

Chapter 11: Wings of Renewal

"We're on the fourteenth floor of Mt Blaze and still haven't found the thief, nor the gold crystal" Erdalla turned back to Gildan "Sounds like our rogue is faster than we thought"

"Stronger too. I didn't think he would be able to traverse Mt Blaze solo so quickly and easily" The Sableye chewed his lip while viewing his Luminous Orb vision "If we do catch him, I'm not even sure all four of us can take him out. It might just be worth giving it up"

"That doesn't sound like you. When wealth is involved, you'll go to hell and back to have it in your hands" Natalie pointed out "You'll fight anyone and come up with the most relentless schemes to get it. Such as using your lifelong partner as a scapegoat to escape from an ex-bounty hunter"

The sentence was etched with hard, primal anger and Gildan flinched from the Mawile's tone.

"Look, I don't think now is a great time to reprimand me for that, but I promise to be a good and pure Sableye after this adventure is over. I'll work hard for this team!" Gildan promised with a grin, although his smile looked less genuine and more devious than I hoped "Anything to not have Natalie physically attack me. She's one strong lady!"

"Flattery won't work this time, you bastard" Natalie growled "But for the sake of Alfrin and Erdalla, I'll postpone your punishment for later. You'll get what's coming to you later Gildan. I swear it"

"I'm glad we can remain friends" The Sableye replied easily before returning to his Luminous Orb vision. It was flickering and beginning to fade, signalling that it was almost time to replace it "The stairs are close by. Up ahead to the four-way intersection and then turn straight right. That'll bring us to the fifteenth floor"

"There are more floors here than in Sinister Woods" I remarked, "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised given that this is where an elemental bird resides"

"And it's only going to get longer from here on out. It seems like the farther away we are from home, the longer the mystery dungeons are" Erdalla observed before looking around herself "Unrelated, but the enemy density has fallen significantly and not just because of the rain"

"Perhaps we're getting close to the summit? Or at least a checkpoint?" I offered "Mt Thunder had less Pokemon around it's summit. Maybe Moltres values it's privacy"

"Maybe" Erdalla nodded "Regardless, the lack of fights is better for our energy. We'll need any advantage we can get if we're going to fight Moltres"

"Speaking of which, how many Rainy Orbs do we have left?" I asked "You said we should have two or more if we have to go up against it, right?"

"Yeah. I still have one inside my toolbox. What about you Gildan?" Erdalla turned to the Sableye, who was fumbling for another Luminous Orb "How much Rainy Orbs do you have left? You seem to be using them fairly liberally throughout the entire dungeon"

"Let's see…" Gildan rummaged through his large burlap sack. I envied the amount of space he had in there. Maybe I should ask him to get one for me someday. It'll certainly be an improvement over my limited toolbox "I only have one more. Mine and yours makes two, so that should be fine enough to take on Moltres!"

"Two might not be enough" Erdalla chewed her lip "If Zapdos was this powerful, I can't imagine Moltres being any less-"

"Nobody move!" Natalie cried and I stopped Erdalla right in her tracks. Looking ahead, I knew why the Mawile stopped us. The room right in front of us had numerous gummies and cases with discs inside. It looked to be a trove of loot, which meant traps.

"Good eye Natalie. That's a Monster House if I know one" The Pikachu stepped back, wary to not step inside the room "Let's try to find another way around"

"Wait, what's a Monster Hou-" I was about to ask before Gildan zipped by me in a flash, crying out loud.

"THERE IT IS! THE CRYSTAL!"

"GILDAN! Get back here!" Natalie yelled, but it was too late. The instance the Sableye stepped into the treasure-laden room, the air above us shifted and a large group of Rapidash, Arcanine and Fearow appeared, instantly surrounding us. The sudden heat spike flinched all of us and knocked Natalie off balance.

"Of all times…!" Erdalla cursed and quickly opened her toolbox, scooping up the Rainy Orb to summon a rainstorm "Alfrin, take down the Fearow with your Water Pulse. The Fire type Pokemon should be scattering from the rain!"

"On it!" I blasted strong pulses of water towards the Fearow in the sky, who were trying to grapple Natalie and Gildan in their claws. A Fearow came rocketing down, talons first, but Natalie headbutted it backwards before chomping off it's legs with her back-mouth. Gildan got the first move with Fake Out and then followed up with Faint Attack, sending the massive bird sprawling backwards. Meanwhile, Erdalla called down great thunder to smite the remaining Fearows to ash. Once we were done with the Fearow, the other Monster House Pokemon were long gone, scared off by the rain.

"Where did it go…? I swore I had it in my hands when the Monster House came down" Gildan looked around himself desperately, patting his own body in the process "The crystal… it disappeared! I had it in my hands and then it went poof!"

"Enough about that! Gildan, you cost us a Rainy Orb because of your greed!" Natalie shoulder tackled the Sableye to the ground. I tried to hold her back, but the Mawile's back-mouth snapped at me "Now we're down to one Rainy Orb to fight off Moltres. What do you have to say to that?!"

"Look, I'm sure we can defeat Moltres with one Rainy Orb. Just have some confidenc-"

"Do you not care about me at all? What if Moltres has Sunny Day?!" Natalie exploded "One Rainy Orb is not enough. The instant the rain goes away, I'm done for! Because of you and your stupid greed, you doomed me, Erdalla and Alfrin! Shame on you!"

"Natalie, you say this all the time. I'm sure we can get out of it alive like befo-" Gildan tried to protest, but the Mawile cut him off.

"No. There is no "getting out of this alive" this time" The Mawile glared at the Sableye "This is Moltres, the legendary phoenix of fire. Battling it head-on is suicide. I'll die. You'll die. Erdalla will die and Alfrin will die. All because of you"

"Natalie, that's enough. This is getting us nowhere" Erdalla placed her hand on the Mawile's shoulder. Her back-mouth snapped at the Pikachu angrily, but Erdalla slapped it away with her hand "It's too late for us to turn back now. If we die against Moltres, so be it. The world might be saved. But if we sit around and do nothing, nothing will happen or saved. Besides, the Rainy Orb was necessary, regardless of Gildan's recklessness"

"And why's that?"

"This Monster House contained the stairs to the summit" I realized, looking up ahead. A set of stone stairs led to the exit of the dungeon, which was bathed in harsh red light, as if next to a volcano. If that wasn't the summit of Mt Blaze, I didn't know what was.

"... Come. Moltres awaits" Erdalla said, breaking the silence. The Pikachu led us up the stone steps and out of the dungeon, where we arrived atop a cliff. To our right, lava bubbled and churned in the heart of the volcano. Natalie made sure to stay far, far away from it.

"Moltres doesn't seem to be here. Lucky us!" Gildan grinned "Let's just pass on through and get out of here"

"Strange. I thought Moltres would appear to challenge us, but I guess not. Let's move on then" Erdalla nodded and moved us towards the middle of the stone platform before a spire of fire erupted from the lava beside us, making Natalie yelp in surprise.

"Halt! Stop right there!" A male voice cried from the pillar of flame "I can hear the mountain's screams. It's cries of agony. It feels restless, as if bound to erupt"

"Are you… Moltres?" Erdalla asked carefully and the flame flickered before sinking back down into the lava. Instantly, a bird wreathed in fire shot out of the volcano and landed in front of us, spewing embers everywhere as it spread it's wings.

"Yes… I am. Moltres, the immortal phoenix of flame" Moltres introduced himself, his expression emotionless like rock. I expected someone like him to be more expressive, but maybe this was Moltres when he was serious or vengeful? Probably the latter because I felt the entire mountain's hatred towards me, condensed into one seriously powerful Pokemon.

"I knew something was wrong with Mt Blaze" Moltres turned towards me and I stepped back. I felt that any moment, he could toast me to a crisp with his wings "First the forest fire and then the trek up Mt Blaze… it made the land scream in agony. You… you're the one tearing this land asunder"

"You have the wrong person. We're just passing through here" I replied defiantly "In fact, we're hunting for that world-destroyer ourselves. On what grounds do you think I am that person?"

"Fah! You can't fool a legendary Pokemon's mind. Zapdos warned me of a Pikachu and Mudkip duo. They defeated him in battle somehow" Moltres glared at me "No other Pokemon has given me such an ill omen like you. You have no proof that you aren't Alfrin, the cursed Pokemon who will bring the end of the world"

"And you don't have proof that I am" I countered "So let us pass through and we'll deal with Alfrin ourselves-"

All of a sudden, a dozen flaming feathers fell around me, impedding themselves into the stone like darts. I didn't even see the attack coming.

"You are the one. I'm sure of it" Moltres squawked in challenge "The mountain's rage is my rage. The lava of this volcano is the source of my endless power! All those who defile the land and my home will be destroyed! Come and die to my raging inferno!"

"Not a chance!" Erdalla pushed out her hands, letting loose a quick paralyzing wave with Thunder Wave to stun Moltres in place "Gildan, Rainy Orb. Now!"

"You can count on me!" The Sableye rummaged into his sack and pulled out a gleaming crystal ball. I didn't know what it was, but Erdalla screamed just as he shattered it.

"No! That's…!" All of a sudden, the clouds parted above us and the sun beamed down harshly, stinging my skin. Gildan shattered a Sunny Orb!

"Oops! Sorry about that!" Gildan dug through his bag again "I'm sure it's around here somewhere. Just give me a moment!"

"We don't have a few moments!" Erdalla cried as Moltres shrugged off the Thunder Wave and launched his assault, his ferocious Fire type attacks augmented by the sun. Moltres whipped his wings furiously, calling forth a fiery tornado to rage across the field. Erdalla jumped back with Quick Attack to avoid it before launching a javelin of electricity straight towards the fire bird. I got behind Moltres and blasted Water Pulse to compliment Erdalla, but the water quickly evaporated in the sun and lava's heat.

"Hah! Too slow!" Moltres dodged the lightning javelin and spun itself laterally, transforming into a flaming battering ram. It rocketed towards Erdalla, who jumped out of the way just in time, but her back got scorched by the intense fire. Moltres came back for a roundtrip, heading straight for me, but Erdalla shot a wide web of electricity into the air, knocking Moltres away briefly.

"No, no! Where is it?!" Gildan cried desperately, throwing away seeds and other orbs at random.

"Gildan, what are you doing?! Stop throwing away your stuff!" Natalie yelled as she tossed an Oran Berry at Erdalla to heal herself "That's dangerous! You'll-"

"UGH! I don't know where it is! I can't find it!" The Sableye scooped up a handful of seeds in his hand "I hate not knowing where things are! The Monster House Pokemon must've stole it!"

"Give me those seeds then! Rain or not, those will help a lot!" I cried, blocking Moltres's fireball with a barrier of water. For a second, Gildan grinned in glee and then threw all the seeds towards me. He threw them with the intent to hurt me.

"GILDAN! NO!" Erdalla screamed, but it was too late. The seeds slammed into me one by one. Stun, Sleep, X-Eye, Blast and Hunger. All of them together completely demolished my body, painfully and brutally. I went completely blind, went dizzy to the point of stun, fell asleep, got blasted with a mini-bomb the face and instantly starved all in less than a second. I collapsed to the ground, stripped to nothing but my skin as protection as Moltres loomed over me.

"Say goodbye!" Moltres yelled in victory before surrounding himself in bright orange flames "FLARE BLITZ!"

"No… it can't end like this…!" I croaked, but nothing moved. I couldn't even crawl to save myself, much less get away from Moltres. Erdalla and Natalie's screams became more and more distant as Moltres's Flare Blitz rocketed closer to me. Closer… and closer until I could feel the intense flames melt my face.

"This is how I die…?" I closed my eyes, accepting defeat before I felt Moltres impact my broken body with the force of a million Blast Seeds. I felt the world break around me before my vision went black and I disintegrated to nothing.

….

Erdalla's voice went raw from how much she screamed in agony. Just like that, Gildan betrayed all of us and sentenced Alfrin to death. He was gone. There was no way he survived that.

"AH! I didn't intend for that to happen. I'm so SORRY!" Gildan went frantic with panic and worry "I'll find the Rainy Orb. It's gotta be in her-"

The Sableye was interrupted by Natalie punching him in the face, before headbutting Gildan to the ground.

"Unforgivable. You are a dead man Gildan" Natalie's tone was deathly cold "Here and now, you will PAY FOR EVERYTHING!"

In one motion, Natalie turned her back on the Sableye, opening her back-mouth impossibly wide before devouring the Sableye in one fell swoop. He could only manage one scream before the mouth closed around him, chomping on the Sableye with it's iron teeth.

"G-GAH! HELP ME! NATALIE, PLEASE STOP!" Gildan screamed in agony, but the Mawile showed no mercy. The sharp iron teeth tore away at Gildan's flesh before spitting him out, leaving a bloody carcass on the ground "Ugghh… aaagghh…"

"You're not worth eating. I think I'll do this instead" Natalie grasped Gildan by the neck before tossing him into the air, letting her back-mouth snatch the Sableye in a guillotine grip.

"N-no… AAAAHHHHH!" Gildan only managed one horrific cry before the jaws closed around him, completely breaking the Sableye in two.

"I was hoping for something more satisfying, but that'll have to do. Goodbye Gildan. Rot in death's realm" The Mawile turned away from Gildan's corpse and dug through his sack "... I knew it. The Rainy Orb was never gone"

"N-Natalie… we have to get out of here" Erdalla's eyes were fraught with tears and her voice was shaky "The two of us can't beat Moltres alone. I can't have you dying as well"

"No. The Rainy Orb was always here. Gildan intended to betray us from the beginning" The Mawile held up the crystal ball "Now we will take vengeance on Moltres for taking away your partner. Do you want that?"

"I…" Erdalla's hands curled into fists before pulsing with angry red electricity "Yes. Yes, I do. Natalie, we will destroy this phoenix. I don't care if he's immortal or not. He will feel my lightning like nobody has ever before"

"Good. Because it looked like he has returned" The Mawile turned towards the volcano's heart, where Moltres leaped out of the lava, looking completely renewed.

"Two of your members gone and yet you still fight" Moltres clucked his tongue "I admire your tenacity, but pity your stubbornness"

"Uh huh. And what were you doing this entire time?" Erdalla snarled.

"Healing. Flare Blitz took a fair chunk out of me actually" Moltres brought his right wing up to his eyes "Lava is the source of my fabled immortality, you know"

"So that means you're mortal as long as there's no lava to run into" Erdalla smiled darkly "Good. Natalie, now!"

The Mawile smashed the Rainy Orb onto the stone ground, causing the harsh sunlight to fade away and be replaced by angry dark grey clouds. Sheets of rain fell from the sky in a torrential downpour.

"An interesting tactic, but not enough to defeat me!" Moltres spread it's wings, igniting himself on fire "Rainfall cannot quench my endless inferno!"

"I wasn't relying on that" Erdalla grinned psychotically as she brought up her red-laced hand "I called the rain for this. THUNDER!"

With all her might, Erdalla slammed her hand onto the ground, conjuring a cage of lightning to ensnare and hold Moltres in place as thunder roared across the stormy sky. From three directions, three jagged red thunderbolts rocketed towards the flailing fiery bird, crashing into him with a force equal to Moltres's Flare Blitz.

"GYAAHHHHH!" Moltres roared in pain before the electrocution stopped and the lightning cage faded away. The phoenix collapsed to the ground and dissolved into a form of fire, reducing itself down to a small ember on the ground.

"Now that's Alfrin's gone, there's no point to our quest" Erdalla marched up to the small ember, who skittered in fear "But I will enjoy this last revenge…!"

All of a sudden, the Pikachu fell to the ground, drained from the effort of her attack against Moltres. The ember took that opportunity to leap back into the lava as Natalie rushed to Erdalla's side, Oran Berry in hand.

"I didn't finish him off… He'll be back" Erdalla groaned "Natalie, run away please. I can't let you-"

"No. That's enough fighting. There will be no more death today" Moltres's voice spoke from the lava. It seems that he couldn't regenerate his body, but his voice still spoke smoothly and clear "After the Mudkip fell… it felt pointless"

"Why?" Erdalla croaked, struggling to stand. Natalie helped her to her feet, giving the Pikachu a Oran Berry to restore her energy "How did the fight become pointless after Alfrin died?"

"I was convinced that he was the one who caused the forest fire and the one who caused Mt Blaze such incredible pain…" Moltres replied "I was convinced that he was the calamity Zapdos warned me about. That he would bring destruction across the land"

"What… what made you change your mind?" Natalie asked.

"This feeling… something is still wrong with Mt Blaze. The ill omen I felt from the Mudkip didn't fade. Why? I killed him. I removed him from the world" Moltres said solumnly "Did I destroy the wrong person? I killed the Mudkip, yet nothing has changed"

Erdalla winced. Not only was Alfrin dead, there was no body to recover and it was completely by accident. His death had no meaning. No legacy. No purpose. Just a mistake by one of the world's gods.

"I… I cannot live with this mistake. To think, I just murdered an innocent Pokemon" Moltres said sadly "My flames symbolize life, renewal and justice. Yet I broke my own ancient accord with this action"

Erdalla remained silent. She wanted to ask Moltres is he could resurrect Alfrin, but she doubted it was possible. Asking a god to break death's laws for you would be like a child ordering you to rob a house. A lesser being couldn't command those of higher authority.

"I must reprimand for this action. I have to set things right" Moltres spouted into the form of a flaming pillar again "Clearly, killing the Mudkip wasn't the answer. I must find the real truth"

"Will you let us go then?" Natalie asked.

"More than that" Moltres's fiery pillar form sank back into the lava before his bird form returned, landing in front of Natalie and Erdalla gently "I will resurrect the Mudkip you call Alfrin. I killed him in cold blood unfairly. He's not the threat I seek to destroy"

"You… you can do that?" Erdalla asked hopefully and Moltres nodded.

"I am the flames of renewal. Though I am not the deity of death, I am the phoenix that symbolizes life, renewal and new beginnings. Resurrection is one of my powers" Moltres spread his wings wide "Accept my gift with my blessings. This is my apologies"

A dozen flaming feathers fell from Moltres's spread wings, gathering at his feet in a soft spotlight of crimson light. The feathers swirled in a miniature tornado before they glowed with green light, forming the shape of a Mudkip. Soon, the light died and Alfrin was reborn into the world.

…

"... And then Gengar stole my crystal, taking advantage of my greed to have me become his underling" Gildan smacked his head against his hand "Stupid, stupid, STUPID! I knew Natalie would come for my head the moment I killed you. Why did I accept Gengar's offer? WHY?!"

I didn't bother responding to Gildan's post-death mad ramblings. Shortly after I arrived in the realm of the dead, Gildan fell in too. He was guillotined to death by Natalie's jaws, which I got some satisfaction out of. I was outraged at the little Sableye, but there was nothing to do now that I was dead. Now I just sit and wait for eternity, chewing on my regrets. Us two were stuck inside a black and grey garden, sealed by two locked doors. It was like a prison. A fitting place for Gildan, I suppose.

"Ugh, that crystal wasn't even worth it. The gem inside it wouldn't help me a whole lot anyways" Gildan grumbled "I only figured out what it was now that I'm here. It's a Sunlight Gem"

"What's a Sunlight Gem?" I asked listlessly.

"By holding it up to sunlight, it'll automatically cast Sunny Day for you. Handy, but useless for a person who only lives in caves like me" Gildan slumped "And like an idiot, I took the offer. He even tricked me with a fake Sunlight Gem inside the Monster House…"

Suddenly, Gildan jerked his head towards me "Hey. Why are you glowing with that red light?"

"Huh?" I looked down at myself. The Sableye was right. I was glowing with a faint crimson aura, with spiritual phoenix feathers orbiting me like a tornado. I felt myself rising off the ground like I was about to take flight.

"Phoenix feathers… Wait a moment!" Gildan leaped and grabbed onto my foot "Take me with you! You're coming back to life!"

"Never" I spat in Gildan's eye with Mud Shot before kicking him down to the ground "This is where you belong. I'm coming back to life because I'm innocent. You aren't"

"No… No! Don't leave me here!" Gildan cried as I rose higher into the air of the dead garden "I can't be alone. Please don't go!"

I only shook my head in denial before rising higher in the crimson spotlight and disappearing from the realm of the dead, reappearing atop Mt Blaze. Moltres was behind me and Natalie and Erdalla were in front.

"Alfrin… are you real? This isn't a trick, right…?" Erdalla approached me unsteadily, reaching out with her hand to grasp my face "You…"

"Erdalla…!" I grinned with joy and pushed her to the ground with a hug "I didn't think I would see you again!"

"Me neither Alfrin. I'm so glad you're back. Our quest would of been over without you…" Erdalla's voice was shaky, but she embraced me back before pushing me off her "You'll have to thank Moltres for your resurrection"

"Moltres…?" I turned around to the fiery bird, whose expression looked a lot more gentle than it was before "You're the one who brought me back to life?"

"Yes, child. I believe you're innocent and not the bringer of calamity I thought you would be. I apologize for your senseless death" Moltres apologized before staring into the approaching night sky "I have to investigate the true cause behind the disasters. Obviously, your death wasn't the answer"

"Thank you Moltres. I hope you find the answer soon" I nodded "We'll continue seeking out the truth too. On that note, may we pass through Mt Blaze?"

"Of course. You have earned my respect today in your courage during battle" Moltres pulled his wings upwards, preparing to launch "Now, I must depart. May the world know peace again soon"

"Agreed" I looked back at Natalie and Erdalla, who both looked exhausted from the fight "Come on. Let's get out of here and have some rest before continuing on"

"Yes… our next destination is the Frosty Forest. We should reunite with Zeplin and Salazar there" Erdalla was still leaning on Natalie's shoulder "Let's… go"

"Sounds like someone needs a nap" I smirked "You didn't pull off one of your last-resort attacks again, did you?"

"Might of…" Erdalla yawned "So sleepy now…"

"Then let's get out of here quick. Team Lazulian, move out!" On that note, we departed Mt Blaze, heading towards the cold north-east lands for Frosty Forest. So much has transpired today and yet more was still to come. Will we find the truth of the disasters soon?

 _Our team:_

 _\- Erdalla, Pikachu: Lazulian Leader_

 _Level 26_

 _Moves: Thunder Punch, Thunder Wave, Quick Attack and Thunder Shock_

 _\- Alfrin, Mudkip: Newly Resurrected_

 _Level 25_

 _Moves: Mud Shot, Water Pulse, Headbutt and Water Gun_

 _\- Natalie, Mawile: Sisterly Ex-Criminal_

 _Level 23_

 _Moves: Vicegrip, Faint Attack, Bite and Headbutt_

 **This was supposed to come out a week earlier, but I was feeling unmotivated at the time and I had a swimming instructor's course over the week days, so I couldn't work during that time either. Sorry for that! This is the last chapter I can release before the school year begins again, so I'll probably not be able to release one chapter every two weeks like I normally do. I hope you all can live with a slower rate of chapter releases from now on. Coming up next is the Frosty Forest, where the party reunites with Zeplin and Salazar to brave the frigid cold in pursuit of a haven in Mt Freeze. If you want to be notified of when a new chapter comes out, favorite and follow. If you want to leave constructive criticism or praise, leave a review. Until next time!  
**


	13. Chapter 12: Reunion and Retribution

PMD: Fateful Saviors

Chapter 12: Reunion and Retribution

"So Erdalla, what's a Monster House?" I asked. After the battle with Moltres, we decided to descend Mt Blaze and reunite with Salazar and Zeplin before packing up for a nightly rest. Erdalla was still limping on Natalie's shoulder, but there was nothing to threaten us on the downward trip off Mt Blaze.

"After all that has happened, that's your way of starting a conversation?" Natalie asked, exasperated and Erdalla laughed softly with a weak voice.

"Monster Houses… are rather odd phenomenon within dungeons" The Pikachu yawned "Sometimes rooms would be filled with a trove of rare items like gummis, TMs and such. But…"

"... These rooms are booby-trapped with magic to catch unaware explorers" Natalie continued, catching a look of brief surprise from Erdalla "If any Pokemon step into the room, dozens of Pokemon are summoned from thin air to act as guardians and "re-populate" the dungeon sort of"

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised you know that Natalie. After all, you've lived in dungeons your entire life" Erdalla remarked "But yeah, what the Mawile said. Monster Houses offer great rewards, but at great risk. Often ambitious, but foolish explorers fall victim to…"

The Pikachu yawned again, so Natalie finished her sentence "... To it. It's a challenge only the most prepared explorers should take"

I watched the chemistry between Natalie and Erdalla with awe. They didn't interact much in Mt Blaze, but once me and Gildan died, they were alone against Moltres and it seemed to have strengthened their bond tenfold. Now they finished each other's sentences like sisters. Erdalla was even comfortably lying on the Mawile's shoulder, struggling to not fall asleep and Natalie didn't even bat an eye. It was heartwarming.

"I see. We should watch out for that in the future" I nodded before looking forward at the downward slope gradually dropping off of Mt Blaze "We'll be at ground level soon. Then if the map is correct, it'll only be an hour of travel until we reach the cold lands. And that is where we'll find Frosty Forest"

"An hour of travel… I think we should rest before proceeding onward from there" Natalie adjusted Erdalla on her shoulder, who was snoozing away peacefully "It's nightfall and I'm sure all of us want a night of good rest before heading into the cold lands"

"Good idea. I doubt Zeplin and Salazar are waiting for us directly in front of Frosty Forest, so they should be around here somewhere" I looked around at our surroundings. Nothing but gravel, craggy rocks and the gradual transformation from volcanic landscape to mountainous area. Perhaps the Scyther and Magnemite were waiting at the end of the slope.

"Then we can rest and reconvene for the morning" The Mawile smiled "I hope those two aren't too tired when we find them. Because the gods know we're all exhausted"

"You two for sure, but I'm not. Moltres's healing revitalized me" I told Natalie "I can take watch for the night if you guys need it"

"But you're our charge and prime suspect. Why would you…" Natalie sighed and shook her head, "I suppose that can't be helped. You're a protective person and hate being taken cared of. Even if Erdalla argued against you taking watch alone, you won't yield"

"Yep. Can't help it" I shrugged "I'm not some baby to be protected. I can hold my own just fine"

"Sure, but you're the man everyone's hunting down. If you fall for good, then well…" Natalie patted Erdalla on the head "Do you know how much anguish and pain this girl went through after Moltres killed you? Her heart will shatter in two"

My eyes widened "That doesn't sound like Erdalla. She's rather aloof, dry and non-expressive. The only times I've seen her emotions burst was when Gengar got too far onto her nerves"

"Well, that's just a testament to how much she cares for you, I suppose" Natalie shook her head "Poor girl was hysterical after you died. It if happens again…"

I winced. I suppose it was rude to be risking life and limb recklessly when Erdalla cares so much for me. I was blind to it back at the peninsula near Silver Trench. That wasn't even counting Salazar, Zeplin and Natalie, all of which were dear friends. Erina and Howard too perhaps. Maybe I was focusing too much on myself and cleansing my own baneful reputation.

"Uh oh. Did I strike a nerve?" The Mawile asked, watching my solemn expression. We hit ground level already and should be stopping to rest, but I was caught up in my own thoughts "Look, I wasn't trying to scold you or make you feel guilty. I'm just saying to be less reckless with your life. You're clearly valued by your peers and well… losing you would be a sore blow. It always is"

"Unless it's Gildan" I said with a cracking smile.

"Unless it's Gildan" Natalie agreed "Salazar told me about when you dove into a burning forest to save a lost Poochyena. That's just one example of your reckless indulgence. And believe me, I know about recklessness. Gildan made me pull more than few gambler's moves"

"Yeah… that was stupid on my part. I nearly got killed by a Mightyena and Pidgeot duo if Erdalla didn't show up. Then well…" I sighed "I really don't value my life all that much, do I? Twice now I stumbled into death's door. The latest barreled me through it"

"Well, Moltres wasn't your fault. He was too strong to overcome with the harsh sun up. It was likely any of us would of died against him" Natalie frowned "Okay, perhaps I shouldn't have said all of that to you. It was a clear morale plummet"

"Oh no, it's not you. I just… let it get through to me. I needed to be alone with my thoughts" I shook my head, smiling at the Mawile "I'll be fine by tomorrow"

"So are you still taking night watch while the rest of us sleep?"

"If Salazar and Zeplin are still alert enough to join me, then that should be fine. Otherwise…" I looked around at our new surroundings "We can maybe find an overpass or alcove to hide in for the night. That should safeguard us"

"Yeah. Hopefully" Natalie chewed her lip before adjusting Erdalla yet again "This baby's getting a fruitful sleep on my shoulder though. Mayhaps she can join you for the nightly watch if she wakes up soon"

"I doubt it. Anytime Erdalla pulls off one of her anger fueled desperation attacks, she sleeps as blissfully as a baby for a long time" I shook my head "Anyway, we're on the ground level now. Where would Salazar and Zeplin be…?"

Suddenly, I heard rustling in the trees behind us and in an instant, a shadowy figure lunged towards me, blade first. Luckily, I reacted fast enough to swerve sideways and knock the figure back with a short burst of water. The figure grunted and moonlight fell upon it, revealing it to be a Scyther. Salazar the Scyther.

"Whoa! Sorry about that Alfrin!" Salazar deftly apologized "I'm not as good at seeing in the dark as my fellow Scyther, so I didn't recognize you or Natalie right away. That could of gone real bad if I took off your head"

"Yeah. Thank goodness I reacted fast enough. Wouldn't want to die a second time today" I glanced at Salazar's drenched body while his eyes widened from my remark "Oh yeah, I probably should explain to you what happened on Mt Blaze. Where's Zeplin?"

"A little deeper in the forest. We set up a temporary camp to wait for you guys" The Scyther surveyed our group "I see that slime ball Gildan is gone and Erdalla… is she okay?"

"Just sleeping" I assured "We had some… dire conflict on Mt Blaze"

"I see" Salazar stared at Natalie, as if he was in awe she even survived at all, more so than Gildan did "Let's lead you guys to the camp. I'm sure you're all exhausted"

"We are. Thanks" I nodded and Salazar led us further into the bushes, pushing aside a colony of branches. Not long later, we arrived at a small clearing where a campfire was set and two tents were up, along with beds. Zeplin was zipping around the area, looking as forlorn as a magnet could be.

"Zeplin! I found them! Alfrin and Erdalla survived Mt Blaze!" Salazar announced and Zeplin jerked himself over to our direction, buzzing with electricity excitingly.

"THEY DID?! BY THE GODS, THEY DID! INCREDIBLE! BZZT!" Zeplin cheered "I BET YOU HAVE A LOT TO TELL US ALFRIN. BZZT!"

"Yeah… yeah I do. Natalie, put Erdalla down in a bed and come join us at the campfire. Then I'll explain everything to these two" I ordered and the Mawile nodded, relieved to get the slumbering Pikachu off her shoulders. We moved to the campfire and I pulled a couple berries from my toolbox to snack on. The trek down Mt Blaze was uneventful, but it did a number on my stomach. I was hungry for dinner.

"So Alfrin… tell us what happened on Mt Blaze. The fact that Gildan died, yet Natalie didn't is a story on it's own" Salazar began roasting Farfetch'd meat over the fire, smirking at my hungry expression.

"Well, I suppose I should start from the beginning of the dungeon. You know the strategy I discussed with you two before you left?" I asked "The one about how Gildan will use his assortment of Rainy Orbs to counteract the Fire Pokemon"

"I do. What about it?"

"Gildan wasn't kidding. Thanks to his stash of… stolen Rainy Orbs and utility seeds, we blazed through Mt Blaze in record time with little to no trouble at all" I continued "Before we knew it, we were at the summit. But something notable happened before that…"

"We encountered a Monster House shortly before entering the summit. Inside was a peculiar item that made Gildan go crazy for. He leaped in and triggered the Monster House, but the item vanished in his hands like an illusion" Natalie took over before looking to me "Got any idea what that item was?"

"Must of been the Sunlight Gem Gildan was rambling about. Gengar forced him into his service with it before placing a fake one in the Monster House to trigger it" With that name, both Salazar and Zeplin winced "In any case, we dealt with the Monster House and made it to the summit. From there, we battled Moltres"

"And during the battle, Gildan betrayed us. He bombarded Alfrin with harmful seeds and called Sunny Day with a Sunny Orb to empower Moltres" Natalie's hand formed into a fist and her back-mouth snapped angrily, as if the mere memory of Gildan caused a well of anger "With the sun up, Moltres was nigh unstoppable"

"I knew something was odd when I saw the clouds suddenly break above us" Salazar clucked his tongue "What happened next? This is the part when Alfrin died, right?"

"That's… quite the thing to latch onto, Salazar" I frowned "But yes, this is when things went horribly downhill. With Gildan's seed barrage weakening me, Moltres took the opportunity and completely obliterated me with Flare Blitz. In an instant, I was dead"

"OH MY… YET YOU DON'T HAVE EVEN THE FAINTEST OF BURNS OR SCRATCHES ON YOU. BZZT!" Zeplin commented and Natalie shook her head.

"Moltres was gone after killing Alfrin, so I tore Gildan apart for his betrayal. Then I regrouped with Erdalla and found one last Rainy Orb inside Gildan's sack" Natalie explained "Once Moltres reappeared, I used it and Erdalla unleashed an utterly calamitous Thunder, destroying Moltres to literal embers"

"That doesn't explain how Alfrin came back to life if Erdalla killed Moltres" Salazar pulled back his Farfetch'd kebab, cursing that it was slightly burnt.

"Let me finish. Before she could finish off Moltres, Erdalla collapsed from the effort of the attack. Moltres took that chance to leap into the volcano and heal himself" Natalie continued "When he returned, he claimed that he still felt the volcano's pain from the disasters, even after he killed Alfrin"

"And therefore, because Moltres is the immortal phoenix of renewal and justice, I was resurrected into this world, alive as ever" I finished "While Gildan languishes in the death realm, confined to a prison-like garden"

"Fitting place" Natalie commented.

"Wow… that was quite the wild story. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, given what we've experienced the past few days" Salazar leaned back on the log he was sitting on, relaxing "At any rate, you guys should rest. Me and Zeplin can watch for the night"

I frowned. I expected a larger reaction from Salazar and Zeplin, but they looked… rather subdued and unsurprised. Either they didn't believe my retell or… they already knew. Or maybe the story was so outlandish that there wasn't a reaction fitting enough. Or maybe I was just tired and was getting paranoid.

"Alright, if you say so. Natalie, I assume you're still eating?" I turned to the Mawile, who eagerly snarfed down berries and Farfetch'd meat. Hungry girl she was "Yeah. You are"

"Get to bed Alfrin. We'll extinguish the fire after Natalie's done with her food. I'd like to ask my own questions anyways" Salazar urged.

"THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH SPACE FOR BOTH YOU AND ERDALLA IN ONE BED. USE THAT. BZZT!" Zeplin suggested and I bit my lip. I wasn't embarrassed by it per se, but Erdalla waking up in the same bed as me would be suggestive, to say the least. Knowing her, she would be quick to fry me off the bed the instant she awoken. Then again, I was more familiar with her than Natalie and there were only two beds. I suppose it wasn't the worst thing in the world.

"Alright then. Goodnight everyone" I nodded and headed off to Erdalla's tent, where the Pikachu was still sleeping blissfully. I crawled next to her on the straw nest-like bed and closed my eyes, sleep claiming me quickly. The trek down must of taken more out of me than I thought. Just like that, I was snoring right next to Erdalla in the dark twilight of the forest.

…

"Natalie, I think you had more than enough for your fill. You should get some sleep" Salazar urged. The Mawile simply shook her head, nibbling on a Cheri Berry.

"Look Salazar, I carried an unconscious Pikachu down a mountain for an hour straight. I am starving" Natalie gobbled down the berry before taking another "But I suppose I should save these for the others"

"WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE TO BE HUNGRY? I'VE NEVER FELT THAT BEFORE. BZZT!" Zeplin wondered aloud "BUT I AGREE. SAVE THE BERRIES AND FOOD FOR THE OTHERS. SALAZAR AND I COULDN'T PICK UP MUCH. BZZT!"

"Alright then" Natalie sat up, dusting her body off before pausing, staring at the flames "We probably should of kept Alfrin here to extinguish the campfire"

"Don't worry about that" Salazar picked up a bucket of water from behind him, his bladed arms somehow not slicing off the handle, and held it up "Once you're done here, I can extinguish the campfire"

"Okay but… something's been nagging at me for a while and I want to get it out before I go to bed" Natalie stared at the ground for a moment, gathering her thoughts "Why did you suggest Alfrin to share a bed with Erdalla? There's clearly a second one right there, free to use"

The Mawile pointed to the second white tent beside the one me and Erdalla were sleeping in, with a vacant nest inside.

"WELL, WE KNEW YOUR THREE WOULD BE EXHAUSTED AFTER YOUR FIGHT WITH MOLTRES, SO WE WANTED EVERYONE TO HAVE A BED. BZZT!" Zeplin replied "WOULDN'T BE RIGHT TO LEAVE SOME OF YOU ON THE GROUND, RIGHT? BZZT!"

"You let me nap on the ground when we were taking watch atop Lapis Cave" Natalie pointed out.

"We did…? Oh right, we did! That was an exception though" Salazar replied in a quick tone. Natalie picked up on his anxiety quick.

"Why? The plan was to switch beds throughout the course of the night to rotate nightly watch. Yet you just told me to lay next to the cliff wall and sleep on the ground. Why is that case the exception and not now?" Natalie pressed. Salazar bit his lip, clearly feeling pressured.

"You know why Natalie. Because Alfrin and Erdalla were exhausted and we wanted them to have a full night of rest" Salazar countered back.

"And why were they exhausted? Refresh my memory please" The Mawile got a gleam in her eyes. She knew something was up with Salazar and Zeplin the moment he nearly cut Alfrin's head off. Now she just had to press them for the truth "I didn't encounter any of you until the end of Lapis Cave, so I don't know the full story"

"UHM… THERE WAS A MONSTER HOUSE IN LAPIS CAVE. WE HAD TO FIGHT OUR WAY OUT AND THAT PUT QUITE A TOLL ON ALFRIN AND ERDALLA. THAT'S WHY. BZZT!" Zeplin answered and Natalie grinned darkly upon hearing it.

"Gotcha"

"WHAT?! BZZT!"

"That's false. Alfrin asked me on the way down what a Monster House was and seemed puzzled by it when we encountered it in Mt Blaze. Clearly, he's never encountered one until now" Natalie deduced "How would he not know what a Monster House is if he already fought in one back in Lapis Cave? Hm? I'm sure Erdalla would of explained it to him if that were true"

"ARE YOU CALLING US LIARS?! THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED IN LAPIS CAVE! BZZT!" Zeplin buzzed with electricity angrily "WE KNOW THOSE TWO BETTER THAN YOU DO. YOU'RE JUST SOME FOREIGNER. BZZT!"

"Please, excuse Zeplin's anger. I assure you though, that's what happened. Perhaps something else triggered the Monster House in Lapis Cave and brought the mob to us" Salazar offered and Natalie shook her head.

"I'm still holding onto my case. There's only one thing I need to do" The Mawile turned her back on the two Pokemon "Just a test. I'll be gentle"

"W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! BZZT!"

Natalie approached Zeplin while walking backwards, her back-mouth leaping to latch onto the Magnemite with Bite. Zeplin screamed as if he was being crushed.

"Relax, you! I'm not even biting down hard!" Natalie chided "Or perhaps you're screaming because this Bite is effective on you, a Ghost type!"

"W-what?! No… you know too much!" Salazar lunged and brought his bladed arm down with Slash, cleanly cleaving off Natalie's right arm.

"Gyaahhhh! My… my arm!" Natalie's back-mouth released Zeplin as blood burst from the fallen appendage like a fountain "Alfrin! Erdalla! Wake… up…!"

Natalie's vision went foggy with every second. She collapsed to the ground next to the campfire's flames, seeing Salazar and Zeplin's dark expressions in the firelight. Zeplin's form flickered and she saw a Gastly beneath the disguise of a Magnemite.

"Sorry, little maiden. But you know too much for your own good, so we'll have to put you down" Salazar's blade erupted in purple fire, poised for Natalie's neck. All of a sudden, a strong Water Pulse slammed into "Salazar"'s chest, impacting him hard enough to send him flying into a nearby tree.

"Salazar and Zeplin, back off! Just what are you two doing?!" I yelled as I came onto the scene. Natalie croaked at me, trying to form words but the intense blood loss from her severed arm was slowing her consciousness to a crawl. Salazar and Zeplin backed up from me, visibly fearful.

"Oh no… he looks really angry" Zeplin stuttered to Salazar. Later on I would realize that he didn't talk like a robot this time, but I was too consumed by rage to care. Salazar was about to murder Natalie. They couldn't be real.

"Oh I am angry. So angry that my next Water Pulse might just blast you through the tree" I snarled at the two quivering Pokemon "Who. Are. You? And what are you doing in my camp?"

"Errr… Uhm…" Zeplin gulped before turning to his wounded partner "Beat it! We're getting out of here!"

The Magnemite formed a Shadow Ball in front of him, firing it straight at me. I powered through it easily with Water Gun, but another hand came to catch the attack.

"Keh heh heh! You won't need to hightail out of here just yet" The figure rose out of the shadows into the firelight and threw aside my Water Gun like it was nothing "Tis I, Gengar! Pleased to see me?"

"Absolutely not. We have enough problems without you coming in to assassinate me" I growled, readying another Water Pulse in my throat "I'll end you and your goons like I did back in Sinister Woods"

"Keh heh heh! Well, I fear you haven't ended me like you wanted to back then. What makes you think you can do it now?" Gengar held up his hand, which burned with purple flames "Maybe I should Curse you and make you feel the same pain Erdalla did. Wouldn't that be fun?"

"Enough! You spread those false rumors and now you're going to pay for it. Goodbye Gengar!" I spat a forceful Water Pulse straight at the ghost while slamming my foot on the ground to send a minor quake in their direction.

"Keh heh heh! You fool!" Gengar caught the Water Pulse with telekinesis, throwing it into the fire to douse it "You can't touch me with your Ground type attacks. And now you're blind! Keh heh heh!"

"That… that won't stop me!" I cried, valiantly. But Gengar simply cackled maniacally.

"The shadows are my domain. You have no light to see me here. Keh heh heh!" Out of nowhere, a blast of darkness impacted my chest, sending me sprawling to the ground. I heaved a breath and felt blood spilling out of my mouth like a waterfall "It was over the moment you- Gahhh!"

"Gotcha!" I couldn't see it through the haze of pain and darkness, but I heard scuffling, slashing and struggling as someone new jumped into the scene to intercept Gengar. Or multiple people?

"Zeplin, bring in light to help Howard and Erina. I'll hold off Gengar!" The voice cried. That was… Salazar. He found Howard and Erina? Which one was the real one?

"Gah! Curse you!" Gengar fell back, attempting to counter the real Salazar, but the Scyther had the element of surprise on his side. His rapid Fury Cutters ripped through Gengar fast and his Pursuit ensured Gengar wasn't getting away scot-free. The bastard of a ghost was quickly getting run down.

"BZZT! DON'T WORRY ALFRIN. WE HAVE YOU COVERED!" Zeplin's familiar robotic voice called through the dark and a brilliant flare went up as electricity filled the area, brightening the camp to reveal a Breloom fighting off a Dusclops and Gastly while a Chansey ran towards me and Natalie. Howard and Erina.

"Ha ha! You can't touch me with your fists, fool!" The Dusclops, who I assumed was the fake Salazar, threw Shadow Punch at Howard, who nimbly jumped back to dodge.

"Maybe not, but I can deal with you another way!" Howard spat a strong stream of seeds with Bullet Seed, peppering the Dusclops and Gastly with heavy fire. The Gastly who impersonated Zeplin fell quickly and the Dusclops couldn't weather the assault for long. The real Zeplin aided with his own Thunderbolt, taking down the deathly ghost for good. Salazar chased Gengar deeper into the forest, leaving us along with the others.

"Oh gods… what happened to you two…?!" Erina gasped, gaping at the sight of our wounds.

"Heal… Natalie first!" I croaked, blood soaking my teeth red as I pointed to the Mawile. Whatever Gengar hit me with, it clearly ruptured my inner organs. I was gushing out blood like a fountain, but Natalie was way worse. She fell completely unconscious shortly after I arrived.

"O-of course. I've dealt with this before" Erina steeled herself and approached Natalie, worry settling into her face "How long as she been losing blood?"

"Far… too much probably" I groaned, trying to stand. Howard approached and helped me up, settling me onto a log bench. Zeplin sent a spark flying into the campfire, re-igniting it to provide light. Only then did I truly see the extent of Natalie's injury. A large pool of blood was around her, staining the grass crimson red. The blood stopped flowing out of the wound, but I feared that meant a close end for the Mawile. Howard picked up the fallen arm and handed it to Erina.

"We've done this before with the Cacterne. It should be alright" Erina said mostly to herself "But I've never dealt with so much blood loss before. Alfrin… I'm sorry to say this, but she might not survive"

"Just do whatever you can" I mumbled. While Erina went to work, Howard helped clean up with the bandages in Erina's toolbox, wiping away the blood on me without a word. His expression was emotionless, so I couldn't tell if coming here was his own decision. Did he have a change of heart or did Erina make him come here?

"ALFRIN… JUST WHAT HAPPENED HERE? BZZT!" Zeplin asked "WE HEARD NATALIE SCREAM, SO WE CAME RUNNING TO FIND… THIS. A SCYTHER AND MAGNEMITE IMPERSONATING AS US, NATALIE AND YOU BLEEDING TO DEATH… JUST WHAT-"

"I can explain… just let me-" All of a sudden, my vision went cloudy and I nearly keeled over instantly. Luckily, Howard caught me.

"Whoa there. Let's put you to rest first. We'll hear from you in the morning" The Breloom said, scooping me up. I might of heard genuine care in his voice, but I was too dizzy to notice "You've been through a lot today"

"Yeah… I'll just…" I coughed a little before feeling my eyelids droop "Tell you in the morn...ing… Zzz"

And with that, I fell asleep. Howard simply smiled lightly and brought me to Erdalla's tent, settling me into bed before returning to the campsite. If Natalie lived, he could hear the story from her instead.

…

"May the gods allow you to walk again…" Erina intoned as she cracked open an egg and golden light spilled from it, connecting Natalie's severed arm with her torn shoulder. Salazar was holding the arm next to the socket to make it easier on Erina to reconnect it. The Scyther looked battered, so he must have taken a hit or two from Gengar.

"Gengar got away, but I managed to wound him quite heavily. He won't be coming after us for a while hopefully" Salazar chewed his lip, clearing regretting that he couldn't finish off the ghost "But that's beside the point. How's Alfrin doing?"

"Soundly sleeping. Poor boy's seen a lot and did too much today. No wonder he got knocked out instantly" Howard clucked his tongue "More importantly, how's this Natalie person doing? Is the healing-"

"Hard to say for sure. I reconnected her arm the same way I did for the Cacterne, but…" Erina frowned, clearly unsure "She lost too much blood. I could hear a pulse, but she's going to remain unconscious like this for a while. If she stays like this for too long…"

"... THEN SHE'S DEAD? BZZT!" Zeplin asked nervously.

"Possibly" Erina replied, somberly "Either that or she's in a coma. In any case, she'll be quite crippled if she wakes up, due to the large loss of blood throughout her body"

"That's not good" Salazar gritted his teeth "But there's nothing we can do about that, right?"

"Sadly no. All we can do is sit and wait for her to wake up and hopefully recover. I'll try to monitor and regulate her health" Erina stared down at Natalie, silently praying for the gods to be merciful on her. Even if she didn't know the Mawile, Alfrin and Erdalla allowed her on the team, making her a friend probably. The two would be devastated if the Mawile died.

"Just what is going on in the world…?" Salazar tapped the non-bladed part of his arm on his head "Gengar sending impersonators to assassinate Alfrin, the entire world going out of control and all of Pokemon civilization going on this mad manhunt. It's…"

"Indescribable. And this tragedy is only going to continue until the disasters stop" Howard crossed his arms "So Erina, you dragged me out here when Salazar and Zeplin came knocking nearby. What's our next course of action?"

"First, take Natalie to the tent beside Alfrin and Erdalla's. I managed to stabilize her" Erina ordered "Then we'll talk later"

"... Alright" The Breloom got up and carried the broken Mawile over to the tent. Erina stared up at the lightless night sky, muttering another prayer.

"Gods above, bring salvation to this land. Save us from the disasters. Save us from the chaos erupting in our world. Please… save all of us from this cruel fate"

 _Our team:_

 _\- Erdalla, Pikachu: Lazulian Leader_

 _Level 26_

 _Moves: Thunder Punch, Thunder Shock, Quick Attack and Thunder Wave_

 _\- Alfrin, Mudkip: Wounded Co-Leader_

 _Level 26_

 _Moves: Water Pulse, Mud Shot, Headbutt and Water Gun_

 _\- Natalie, Mawile: Perceptive Ex-Criminal_

 _Level 24_

 _Moves: Bite, Vicegrip, Faint Attack and Headbutt_

 _\- Salazar, Scyther: Daunting Warrior_

 _Level 23_

 _Moves: Slash, Fury Cutter, Pursuit and Quick Attack_

 _\- Zeplin, Magnemite: Mechanical Companion_

 _Level 22_

 _Moves: Thunderbolt, Metal Sound, Thunder Shock and Sonic Boom_

 _\- Erina, Chansey: Pious Healer_

 _Level 26_

 _Moves: Soft-boiled, Refresh, Egg Bomb and Lucky Chant_

 _\- Howard, Breloom: Stalwart Bodyguard_

 _Level 29_

 _Moves: Bullet Seed, Mach Punch, Spore and Absorb_

 **Well, I did say that the school year was going to delay the amount of chapters I can put out, but this could of been done much earlier. I simply felt lazy and unmotivated last week to finish it, so sorry about that. I initially planned to move into the Frosty Forest this chapter, but the reunion of the party members needed to happen before the final act of the fugitive arc (Howard and Erina don't live in the cold lands after all), so this chapter isn't as advancing as it could be. Anyhow though, coming next is the Frosty Forest, so if you want to be notified of when a new chapter comes out, favorite and follow. If you want to give constructive criticism or praise, leave a review. Until next time!  
**


	14. Chapter 13: A Baneful Heart

PMD: Fateful Saviors

Chapter 13: A Baneful Heart

I awoken to the dim ray of sunlight beaming down through the tent. I was still groggy and sore from the feat against Moltres, but I recovered enough to get up and move at least. Next to me, Alfrin slept quietly and blissfully, swathed in bandages for some reason. Did he get attacked on the way down from Mt Blaze? Even then, I saw dry blood oozing through his wounds and his mouth, so it must of been serious. Guilt sat into me that Alfrin got hurt so badly while I laid helpless on Natalie's shoulder.

"Morning Erina. How is Natalie doing?" I heard Salazar's voice outside my tent. More must of happened while I was out. Not only did we reunite with Salazar and Zeplin, but Alfrin somehow encountered Erina too? Was Howard here as well? So many questions pushed into my head that I couldn't take it. I had to step outside and get answers.

"Again, it's hard to say" Erina's voice replied. It seems like they haven't noticed me yet "I stitched up her arm back in place yesterday night, but the blood loss was immense, as you know. She's still unconscious and has a pulse, but I'm not sure-"

"You aren't sure she's going to be the same after she wakes up. Is that what you're trying to say?" The Scyther asked and Erina gave a solemn nod "Mm, so the same as yesterday. Let's hope she, Erdalla and Alfrin recover quick. We need to move into Frosty Forest today, lest more hunters find us. Even worse, Gengar-"

"What was that about Gengar?" I walked onto the scene, startling the two Pokemon.

"Oh Erdalla! You're awake!" Erina hugged me tightly, which felt warm and soft. A fine repose from the hell we've been sent to in the last few days "Are you feeling alright? You look a little winded still"

"Yeah I'm… I'm fine" I gently pushed the Chansey off before turning to Salazar, who was crossing his arms "Back to the topic at hand, what was that about Gengar? And what happened to Alfrin and Natalie last night?"

"I'd hate to resurface such gruesome memories but…" Salazar gritted his teeth and sighed as he began "Gengar sent two goons to masquerade as me and Zeplin to lure Alfrin and Natalie into this camp. Somehow, Alfrin and Natalie found out the truth and attacked the two minions, but Gengar stepped into the scene and fought Alfrin, greatly wounding him in the process. Luckily, me and everyone else arrived just in time to save Alfrin and Natalie and drive away Gengar"

"And what happened to Natalie? Erina said she stitched up her arm back in place last night!" I demanded. Erina winced at that detail.

"Yeah, I was getting to that. Whoever disguised themselves as me cut off Natalie's right arm. When we arrived to assist, the Mawile was already lying in a pool of her own blood, with her dismembered arm laying next to her" Salazar replied "Erina managed to reattach it with her healing, but it's hard to say how Natalie will fare after she wakes up"

"Alfrin… Natalie… how could I subject you two to this…?" Greater guilt crashed onto me. What kind of leader was I nearly got my teammates killed while I slept off elsewhere, helpless to aid them? All because of my weakness to keep myself going after defeating Moltres. All because of my ignorant idea to fall asleep when enemies were everywhere. All because of my inability to protect my team when it mattered most. All of these tragic events happened in one night, on the night I was incapacitated and useless.

"Feeling guilty over it isn't going to help Erdalla. You were worn and torn last night. Erina could tell" Salazar said sternly and Erina nodded in agreement "You wouldn't be able to do anything to Gengar in that state. If anything, being out there against Gengar in your condition would of gotten you killed"

"Still, they got caught in that situation because of me. If I had the strength to keep going, perhaps I could have helped fight off Gengar. Perhaps I could of protected Natalie and Alfrin. Perhaps…" I hung my head in shame "I wouldn't be a worthless leader who can't learn from her own mistakes"

"Erdalla, you can't say that. You're-" Erina began to protest, but Salazar cut her off, shaking his head.

"We're not the right kind of people to talk to for you to break out of your funk. Why don't you go and talk to Natalie? Say a few words at least. Let some things spill off your chest" The Scyther suggested.

"Isn't Natalie still unconscious? She wouldn't be able to hear me" I refuted.

"It doesn't matter if she hears it or not. What matters is confessing your pent up guilt, emotions and problems to the person you directly feel responsible for" Erina replied gently "You said Natalie was hurt because of you, right? Tell her how you feel and imagine how she would reply to you. You know her better than we do"

"In the meantime, Erina will check up on Alfrin while I find Zeplin and Howard. Those two should of returned from hunting breakfast by now…" Salazar pursed his lips in worry before dashing off into the shade of the trees like a ninja. Erina gave me a warming smile and a pat on the head before setting off for my tent. All that was left was me, with the decision to go visit Natalie in her potential deathbed. What would I even say to her? What can I say to her? That I was sorry for nearly killing her? For dragging her into this hellish manhunt when she had nothing to do with it?

"I can't keep putting anyone through this. I…" I closed my eyes, making a promise to discharge Natalie after she awoke. Find a safe haven for her to live and then continue going to finish the quest. It would at least be safer than traveling with us. Erina too. She was too kind and gentle to be scarred by the horrors of the world. Salazar and Zeplin… I didn't know yet.

"Nothing will come from just sitting here. Go and check on Natalie" I urged myself and forced myself to move, step by step to the white tent close to mine. Every step felt heavy, not just because of my soreness and pain, but also the guilt. On my shoulders was Alfrin and Natalie's agony, for getting them hurt when I couldn't defend them. Poor Alfrin had it done to him twice. Both times I wasn't able to protect him like a proper leader should. Who was I?

"Natalie…" I pushed open the flap into the second tent, where I saw the Mawile soundlessly lying on the bed, her back-mouth seemingly lifeless. I felt her right arm, which seemed fine. However, it felt lifeless in a cold way. Her face was just a frown, but pain and desperation were behind the loose facade. If I didn't know any better, she looked to be in a coma if she was unconscious for this long.

"Natalie, just what did I do to you…?" I hugged the lifeless Mawile, sniffling. Normally I didn't let my emotions break loose, but I felt fragile and vulnerable in this moment. I didn't know Natalie for very long, but her encouragement atop Mt Blaze and her bravery to even journey alongside us made me think she was with me my whole life. It was stupid of me to cry over a short-lived comrade, but I couldn't explain it. Something tied us together in that experience on Mt Blaze and I couldn't let her die.

"Natalie… this didn't need to happen" I whispered, letting the tears flow free "You were an innocent Pokemon. Someone not caught up in this mad manhunt initially. And yet you risked your life fighting Moltres and got targeted by Gengar thanks to me and Alfrin. I shouldn't have let you join us. You didn't… you didn't need any of this to happen to you…!"

"Erdalla" I turned and saw Alfrin by the tent flap, his expression equally guilty and solemn. He looked cleaned up and free of bandages. Erina's doing probably "Are… are you okay?"

"Am I okay…?" I repeated the question as I wiped my tears from my face "Are any of us okay Alfrin?"

"No, I guess not" The Mudkip strode over to me, rising up to hug me tightly "But I came to tell you that none of this is your fault. All this tragedy and destruction isn't your fault. I know you want to play the part of the invincible leader who can always protect their comrades, but you aren't that kind of person. Nobody is. Even the most powerful and godly Pokemon can't defeat fate"

"I know but…" I closed my eyes, sniffling "What I regret most as Lazulian's leader is that I don't learn from my mistakes. I got punished before when I let my rage run loose in Sinister Woods. Then it happened again against Moltres, but the punishment went to you and Natalie instead"

Alfrin didn't respond, so I continued.

"This wouldn't have happened if I was up and ready to fight. I could of fended off Gengar. I could have stopped the Pokemon who sliced off Natalie's arm. I could have protected all of us and make the journey easier" The words coming out of my mouth were slow and ragged "Most of all, I could have been a better leader. I could've learned from my mistakes and prevent all of this. But all because I-"

I was stopped when Alfrin pulled me back to meet him face-to-face and gently kissed me full on the lips for a few seconds. Bold, but I accepted it quickly. But why would he…?

"Erdalla, you can't turn back the hands of fate. Keep going through these "I could of" scenarios and you'll go crazy. You'll be stuck in the past, chewing on your regrets forever like the dead" The Mudkip said once he let go "Yes, one of your weaknesses is that you don't learn from your mistakes. But that's what makes you a Pokemon. It's what makes you a person. What's important is that you take this incident as a lesson and learn from it for the future. Destiny was kind to us all to spare Natalie and me"

"Alfrin…" I was at a loss at what to say. My lips still tingled from Alfrin's bold advance and my head was still muddled with the whirlpool of emotions. My weaknesses, my fears and what I could do to make myself better…

"So don't beat yourself up over this. I wouldn't want it and neither would Natalie" Alfrin encouraged gently "You're a great leader Erdalla. You've led us through many dungeons with knowledge, strategy and battle prowess in hand. You just let your failures weigh on you too much"

"Alfrin… is that really true? Do I have the capability to lead?" I asked, doubt in my voice "I let my reckless and emotional head get the better of me too many times and-"

"Shh. Don't start with that again. You're an amazing leader already. You just have flaws to address and improve, like we all do" The Mudkip reassured "All you have to do is recognize those flaws, work to improve them and take bad experiences like this to strengthen your resolve. We will complete this quest, no matter what adversity stands against us. I'm sure everyone shares the same resolve"

"Even the ones who don't need to be? Even the ones who were never involved in this manhunt in the first place?"

"Yes. Because they're drawn to your charisma as a leader and the loyalty to our company. Salazar and Zeplin have been with us since the beginning. Natalie trusts us to keep her safe from her criminal history" Alfrin explained "And Erina and Howard…were previous teammates before. Perhaps we'll know more soon"

"Regardless, you have to believe that they believe in our cause" The Mudkip continued "They believe I'm innocent and they'll continue fighting on my side as long as that belief stands. Nobody questions your capability as a leader except yourself"

"Nobody except for myself…" All of Alfrin's messages swirled through my mess of a brain, scrambling in with the putrid and hateful thoughts from before. I needed to learn from my mistakes and look to the future, instead of dwelling on the past and replaying my mistakes. I could rely on my teammates and not delude myself into thinking I could protect them all alone. My team still respects me as the leader despite all my flaws. Nobody in the company hates me because of those flaws because it's what makes me me. It's what shapes my identity of Erdalla. Is this what I was blind to the entire time? Nay, for my entire life?

"Take some time to sort out your thoughts. We'll be here for a while until Natalie recovers" Alfrin kissed me again briefly before walking to the tent flap "And Erdalla, remember this. As your partner and co-leader, I'll always stay by your side. Through and through"

"Alfrin… thank you. Truly" I nodded and cracked a smile for the first time today. Alfrin smiled back and left me alone with the still unconscious Natalie.

"Natalie… get well soon" I said. There was nothing else I could muster. I cried, I confessed and I poured every regret I had to the floor in front of both Natalie and Alfrin. There was nothing to do but do what I should have done from the beginning. Learn, push forward and never look back. That's the way I want the Lazulians to live. With that, I walked out of Natalie's tent and into mine, where I sat to begin my life anew.

…

"Alf, I know how important Natalie is to both you and Erdalla, but we seriously can't remain here for too long" Salazar told me as we dashed through the forest together, hunting for prey to serve as tonight's dinner "The longer we stay, the more chances hunters will find us. And worse, Gengar will recover and locate us"

"I know, but Natalie seems to be in a coma now. We can't just leave her here with nobody to take care of her" I replied as I aimed a weak Water Gun at a nearby Stantler. I fired my shot, rupturing the deer in its midsection. Stunned from the attack, Salazar finished it off with a quick Fury Cutter, cutting the Stantler right in half "Until she recovers, we're staying here. Unless you think we can carry her with us through Frosty Forest and Mt Freeze?"

"Ughh, I guess not" Salazar grumbled as he gathered up the cuts of Stantler meat into a couple of burlap sacks Howard found in a nearby settlement. Luckily, he and Erina weren't on the wanted lists for associating with me… yet.

"Still, I do agree with you that we need to get moving. Maybe at dinner we can come together to make a decision" I decided as I took up several sacks of meat. Salazar wasn't good at carrying them since his arms were blades, so he opted for one in his mouth. I had to drag along the rest.

"I haveg a suggestiong" Salazar dropped the sack out of his mouth, pushing it along with his feet instead "I have a suggestion Alfrin"

"What is it?"

"Let's leave Howard and Erina alone with Natalie to take care of her while we proceed onwards to Frosty Forest" The Scyther suggested.

"I'm not opposed to that, although…" I stared ahead to our temporary camp, thinking "I want both Howard and Erina with us when we proceed into the cold lands. Erina's healing will be instrumental if we encounter another elemental bird like Moltres and Howard's probably good at shattering ice with his Fighting type moves"

"True. But if Erina went with you, what would we do if Natalie's condition worsens? We can't just go to a village and find the local doctor. We'd be caught and lynched instantly" Salazar argued "Erina has to stay here to watch over Natalie"

"Yeah, I agree. If only we had a second healer on our team…" I said, frowning.

"If only we had more allies in general. We are just a small group of Pokemon fighting against the world. Doesn't it make you feel hopeless sometimes Alfrin?" Salazar asked "That you can't trust anybody you meet?"

"I guess. Still, it means each of us have to pull more of our weight. If we can't find more allies to help us, so be it" I shook my head as we approached back to our camp "That just means we have to conquer everything with our own strength"

"Fair enough. Let's gather everyone around to make this decision first"

We hauled our bounty back to camp, where Zeplin was waiting for us by the bonfire to spark it ablaze. Once we had the roast going over the fire, I recalled everyone back to gather around.

"Alright everyone. We have a decision to make right now" I began as the sun dipped under the horizon, transitioning the day into nighttime. That came earlier than I expected "Obviously we can't remain here long for fear of hunters and Gengar. That means we should forward to Frosty Forest as soon as possible. Tomorrow morning actually"

"What we're deciding here isn't if we're going forward or not. It's the decision of whose staying behind to watch after Natalie" Salazar continued "As she's incompacitated at the moment, we can't leave her here alone while we continue onward. Therefore, two Pokemon should be left to care for her"

"Erina is a given, considering her healing talents" I said to the Chansey "If Natalie's condition worsens, Erina's the only one who knows how to handle it"

"That leaves you without a healer moving into the cold lands. Exercise caution there, especially since Articuno is bound to be awaiting you" Howard warned.

"Articuno?"

"The last of the legendary elemental birds alongside Zapdos and Moltres. She's known as the Glacial Princess" Erdalla reminded me. She sat alone on a log bench, still looking shell-shocked and guilty "Mt Freeze is her domain and with us approaching it, she's bound to find us"

"A Fire type Pokemon would especially be effective against her, but sadly one isn't here" Howard shook his head "Back on topic, who will be the second Pokemon left behind? It should be one who doesn't fare well in the cold lands"

"So it's just me" Salazar said grimly "I'll help watch over Natalie with Erina"

"That leaves the team moving into Frosty Forest as me, Erdalla, Howard and Zeplin" I said carefully "Solid, but we have little to no protection against Articuno"

"PERHAPS WE CAN SET UP SUNNY DAY PRIOR TO FIGHTING HER WITH A SUNNY ORB. BZZT!" Zeplin suggested "JUST LIKE WITH MOLTRES, YOU CAN WEAKEN HER WITH WEATHER, RIGHT?"

"I don't know… Erdalla, how many Sunny Orbs do we have?" I asked and the Pikachu opened up her toolbox to check, digging through the various items.

"I only have one, but there might be more in Gildan's stash. There's always the possibility of Articuno replacing the weather, so we should be prepared with more than one orb" Erdalla said "Either way, we don't have any Fire types to take advantage of the sun, so it's not fully used to our advantage"

"That and both Erdalla and Zeplin's lightning attacks will be harder to pull off in the sun" Howard stated "Really, setting up the sun puts Articuno at a higher advantage"

"Mmgh, this is getting complicated now. If only we had Team Rumblerock on our side. They would of quashed Articuno easily" I grumbled "One Rock type attack and she's down for the count"

"Actually, you're not that far off. We don't even need an actual Rock type for it" Howard smiled lightly "Alfrin, you're a Mudkip. Can you manipulate the earth?"

"OH! I SEE WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT! BZZT!" Zeplin perked up "ALFRIN, REMEMBER WHEN YOU SUMMONED THOSE BOULDERS AGAINST GENGAR IN SINISTER WOODS? BZZT!"

"Oh right!" I nodded earnestly "So what you're saying is that I do it again against Articuno to defeat her! The only issue is lining up a good shot against her, since she's a mobile Flying type"

"We can paralyze her with Stun or Hunger Seeds. It's fine" Erdalla finally had a glimmer of hope in her eyes "Alfrin, we're relying on you to defeat the last of our enemies. Don't stress over it"

"But I only used that attack against Gengar in a rage. I'm not sure I can muster it up again" I said and Erdalla shook her head.

"Manipulating the earth and manipulating rocks exists in the same sphere of control. If you know how to control one, you can control the other" The Pikachu assured me "Why don't we try it right now? Catch this"

Erdalla scooped up a rock from beside her and hurled it at me. Out of instinct, I stamped my feet to the ground and instantly stopped the pebble in midair. Turning it right around, I threw it back at Erdalla, who dodged it easily.

"Excellent. Perhaps some practice in Frosty Forest and Mt Freeze will help you master it before we face off against Articuno" Howard nodded "So with that covered, shall we have dinner?"

"Just one more thing. How are we going to reunite with you guys, should Natalie recover enough to move?" Erina asked.

"And come to think of it, how are we going to make it back to Pokemon Square after finding Ninetales?" Salazar added "We're days away from there"

"That's a question for after we're finished this quest" Erdalla said slowly "But for Erina's question, I guess we'll reunite with you guys on our way back? Natalie will probably be weakened after awakening, so I wouldn't want just you three trekking through the cold lands"

"Alright. We'll just await you here then. Remember to find us after you're done" Salazar smirked "With that done, let's eat everyone!"

"YEAH!"

After dinner, we retreated into our tents for sleep, with a plan to alternate watch throughout the night. Howard also picked up bedrolls from his settlement trip, so everyone had a bed to use thankfully. Erdalla still looked forlorn and quiet when we went to bed, so I decided to eschew talking to her. The girl needed to be alone with her thoughts and I still felt sort of awkward for kissing her in Natalie's tent. Probably not one of my best moves, given the circumstances. I needed to resolve that tension soon.

"We're near the end of our journey. Can you believe that?" Erdalla said, surprising me. She was still facing the wall, but I knew she was talking to me "Two more dungeons to go and we would find Ninetales"

"How are you so sure that Ninetales is hiding out there?"

"We're approaching the coldest part of the continent. If you want nobody to find you, go to Mt Freeze" Erdalla replied "Ninetales would hide nowhere else"

"I'm sure there are other places behinds the cold lands where nobody would find you" I mumbled.

"But Ninetales flourishes in this remote corner of the world, so it's the most likely place" The Pikachu replied quietly "... By the way, did you get any dreams from Gardevoir recently?"

"None. Ever since the trip to the Great Canyon, I haven't seen her at all" I admitted. We didn't speak after that. The tension and silence was too great "Uhm, I'm sorry for-"

"Don't. I need to sort out my feelings still, but… I appreciated the gesture" Erdalla replied "It's like you said back in Natalie's tent. You are my partner and co-leader and will always stay by my side. Do I love you romantically yet? I'll tell you soon"

"... How soon?" I asked curiously.

"Hm... after this quest is over" Erdalla turned over on her side to face me and I saw a dry, amused smile. Just like the one she had when I first met her in Tiny Woods "The world is in too much of a mess now to think about such things"

I went quiet after that, not knowing how to respond. At least she didn't hate me for my bold advance.

"... Goodnight Alfrin. Tomorrow, our journey continues"

The next day after breakfast, we packed up and got ready to hit the road again. Just up ahead in the distance was a land blanketed in snow and the twilight shimmer of a winter forest.

"Alright, looks like everyone is good to go. We have toolboxes full of rations, bedding, clothes for the cold lands and of course, tools for fighting in the dungeon" Howard accessed "We're good to go on your commands, Alfrin and Erdalla"

"Just one more time Howard, are you sure you're okay to go on this journey?" Erina asked worriedly "I mean, you vowed to be at my side and protect me always and now this is the first time we'll be apart from one another"

"It's okay Erina. I trust Salazar to keep you safe. I believe in Alfrin's cause now after that nasty tongue-lashing you gave me back at home" The Breloom smirked while Erina blushed "Trust me, I won't backstab them. Wouldn't want to incur your fury again after all"

"Well alright. If you say so" Erina hugged the Breloom tightly "Stay safe and come back soon"

"Don't worry. I'll always be back for you" Howard whispered back before letting go of the Chansey , turning back to face us.

"If you two are done, we're ready to go" Erdalla said dryly, but hid a smile behind her face.

"Right, right. Sorry" Howard apologized before shouldering his own toolbox "Let's get going"

"Salazar, I'm sorry to leave you out again and thank you for all that you've done" I said to the Scyther, who watched all of this with an amused smile "Please keep Natalie safe for us"

"Of course. I won't let you down" Salazar nodded "And don't talk as if you won't live through this. Your final step of your journey is here and you will cross it. That is all"

"Right. Thanks for the encouragement" I nodded before turning back to our group "Alright everyone, it's time to go! Team Lazulian, move out!"

"TIME TO BRAVE THE COLD. BZZT!" Zeplin said, unexcited as the four of us walked down the verdant road, heading for the frigid kingdom up ahead.

 **Wow, okay. Sorry for delaying the pace of the game again guys. Seriously, we're moving to Frosty Forest next chapter and nothing's going to stop me. I just wanted to use this chapter to further develop Alfrin and Erdalla's characters, as well as their relationship and the impact Natalie had on them. Plus, we're nearing the end of the main story, so I wanted a chapter to humanize our characters even more. I hope you guys don't mind that. Coming up next is definitely Frosty Forest and maybe Mt Freeze. If you want to be notified of when a new chapter comes out, favorite and follow. If you want to leave constructive criticism or praise, leave a review. Until next time!**


	15. Chapter 14: The Glacial Ordeal

PMD: Fateful Saviors

Chapter 14: The Glacial Ordeal

Not too long later, the ground beneath us was blanketed in cold white snow and light flakes gradually fell from the sky in an eternal snowfall. Erdalla pulled a fluffy white fur cloak from her toolbox and put it around her while handing me a nice grey one. The chill wasn't too apparent yet, but I knew the moment we hit Mt Freeze, it would seriously get cold. I was glad that we had two Sunny Orbs tucked away for that occasion.

"Mmgh. Sometimes I wish I wasn't a Grass type" Howard grumbled as we trekked through the thin snowfield, slowly approaching the grove of pine trees up ahead "No matter where I go, it's hard for me to fight. Here in the snowfield, nearby Mt Blaze, anywhere a Flying type is… it's frustratingly limiting.

"You aren't the only one suffering here. All of us are being affected by the cold" Erdalla replied as she pulled her cloak closer onto her body "I've been in mostly simple environments for my whole life, so this sudden chill is new to me"

"Do seasons just not exist in Pokemon Square?" Howard asked curiously and Erdalla shook her head.

"Because of it's location, Pokemon Square rarely experiences seasons beyond spring and summer. It's quite tropical, seeing as it's right next to the Silver Trench and Grand Sea" The Pikachu replied "So I haven't seen the cold until now. What about you Zeplin?"

"BZZT! I LIVED IN THUNDERWAVE CAVE MY WHOLE LIFE. I DON'T KNOW SEASONS. BZZT!" The Magnemite replied "IN ANY CASE, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT. I HARDLY FEEL ANYTHING. BZZT!"

"Because you're just a sentient magnet. Of course you don't feel hot or cold" I muttered before glancing to Howard, who looks stalwart as always, but was shivering slightly "You want a cloak Howard? I have an extra one in my bag"

"That would be nice. Thank you" The Breloom accepted and I handed him my spare blue one. The air between us still felt awkward. Everytime I looked at Howard, my neck ached where he slugged me back in Pokemon Square. I needed to clear it up now.

"By the way Howard, I'd like to ask…" I began "Did you join back with us by your own discretion or because Erina made you do it? Because I'd prefer to have teammates who actually believed in the cause"

"Forgive me Alfrin. I lost myself in the heat of the moment back in Pokemon Square" Howard apologized, tugging the cape closer to himself "After that incident, Erina dragged me home by the ear, giving me harsh scolding along the way about my actions. After thinking it over and seeing Gengar's assault at camp, I realized what he said couldn't be true"

"If it'll help you believe in me more, Moltres atop Mt Blaze confirmed I wasn't the source of the disasters" I said, gesturing to Erdalla "Erdalla can confirm it if you don't believe me"

"Does he speak the truth?" The Breloom asked Erdalla and she nodded.

"Had Alfrin not be the cause of the disasters, he wouldn't be walking alongside us now" The Pikachu replied "Moltres wouldn't have resurrected him and he could have very well incinerated the rest of us. It's because of Alfrin's innocence that we're still alive"

"I see… so a legendary itself confirmed your innocence" Howard said "If that's the case, why are we still trying to seek out this Ninetales? We could fly back to Pokemon Square and relay the news ourselves"

"Who would believe us? Unless the disasters suddenly stop, nobody is going to believe that I'm innocent" I stated "Even if Moltres accompanied us to confirm it, the problem still lingers. We need to find Ninetales to figure out how to stop the disasters"

"Fair. Still, I would have preferred to stay away from this chill…" Howard shivered in his cloak "But I'm all for stopping these disasters once and for all. One thing however: are we sure Ninetales is here in Mt Freeze?"

"... Who knows? This is the farthest we'll be getting before having to backtrack home" Erdalla said forlornly as the grove of trees approached ever closer "Anyways, looks like we've arrived at Frosty Forest, our first icy mystery dungeon"

"If Zeplin's reaction to the cold is accurate, he should be essential in this dungeon" I glanced at the Magnemite "Howard is key to shattering the Ice types here too, but he needs to be mindful of taking any attacks"

"I can start fires with my Electric attacks, so I'm just as effective as Howard on the offensive" Erdalla stated "It's just you that has to be careful Alfrin. Your Water type attacks won't sting hard against foes made of frozen water"

"Yeah. I suppose now's a good time to practice my Rock type techniques" I nodded "If we're all ready, let's head in"

"Yes. Let us go"

Frosty Forest wasn't exactly what I expected out of a frozen forest. Initially, we encountered plenty of standard field-type Pokemon like Azurill and Furret, with stranger picks like Lairon and Nosepass mixed in. Occasionally, packs of Poochyena led by a Mightyena passed by, but didn't dare fight us in fear of Howard and his fists. So far, no Ice types.

"This should be a fairly short dungeon, given the size of this forest" Erdalla estimated "At least compared to Mt Blaze. This is probably Sinister Woods level of floors"

"So about 10 to 12 floors, give or take?" I asked.

"Yeah, roughly so" The Pikachu spotted a Lairon nearby attempting to use Rock Tomb over the group "Alfrin, now's your chance. Intercept the boulders!"

"Right!" I stepped in front of Erdalla and concentrated, trying to uplift frosty rocks from the ground as if I was controlling the earth. However, nothing happened "Come on… come on…"

The rocks from Rock Tomb formed and began to descend down onto us, but I just couldn't get it to work like I did back at camp. The pressure from being crushed was too much.

"Alfrin, move!" Erdalla commanded and she knocked me aside as she raised her hands to the air, generating a barrier of electricity that broke the boulders into pebbles. She then flung the electrical shield towards the surprised Lairon, knocking him out in one blow "Alright, fess up Alfrin. What happened there? Why couldn't you counter the Rock Tomb?"

"I-I don't know. I concentrated just like I did when I control the earth and…" I slumped "I'm sorry. I guess the pressure of the fight just got to me"

"Don't be so hard on him Erdalla. Learning moves outside of your element is a hard task in itself" Howard smiled lightly at the Pikachu "Have you tried such a thing before?"

"Erm… do Normal type moves count?"

"No. Anybody could use and learn those with minimal effort. Have you tried, as you said, manipulating elements within the same sphere as your own, but not entirely your own type? Like say, using a Fire type move since your electricity generates heat?" The Breloom pressed. Erdalla didn't reply, stunned into silence "As I thought. So you don't know how Alfrin feels right now trying to learn Rock type moves"

"Honestly, I thought it would be easy to do" Erdalla turned back to me "I'm sorry for that. I suppose it just needs practice, like all things. Why don't you try lifting these pebbles here then?"

"Alright" I relented and got as close as I could to the fallen pebbles, closing my eyes and making my senses concentrate on the rocks in front of me. Manipulating the earth came natural to me as a Mudkip, so why wasn't it the same for rocks? They exist in the same sphere of control, like Erdalla said. Perhaps I needed to lift my aura of control a little, to bloom it out of the underground stratum…

"BZZT! IT'S WORKING! BZZT!" Zeplin buzzed excitedly. I didn't see it, but I felt the small pebbles rise from the ground, controlled by my power. A Poochyena screeched nearby, attracted to our stationary position and I flung the rock over instantly, nailing the dog in one shot. Now if I could apply the same work to larger rocks in the heat of battle, it could become a real weapon.

"... We've stayed here too long. Let's continue moving" Erdalla broke me out of my concentration "Good progress, but we'll need more if we're going to take on Articuno. Continue practicing while we walk"

"Right, right" My eyes darted to the Poochyenas eyeing us from the snowdrift by the trees, watching for a moment of weakness. We needed to get to the next floor now. We broke into a run and the Poochyenas howled, summoning their pack to chase us down.

"Good grief, they're chasing us now? Looks like desperate times call for desperate measures" Erdalla made a beeline to the stairs up ahead, using electricity to augment her speed. A Mightyena stepped into her way and snarled, but the Pikachu just smacked it in the face with Thunder Punch and continued moving, letting Howard finish it off with Mach Punch.

"Alfrin, seal the entrance with that rock over there!" Erdalla pointed to a frozen boulder reclining against a tree "The Poochyenas might try to follow us down the stairs!"

"Okay, I can do this…!" I focused on the rock with all my might, but a Poochyena managed to pounce onto me and sink it's fangs into my side with Thunder Fang, making me shriek.

"Damn!" Howard smashed the Poochyena off me and picked me up, blazing ahead towards the stairs. My side felt like it was on fire and I felt blood oozing down my leg and onto Howard's body. There was no way I could remotely focus now.

"We'll have to cover the entrance another way!" Erdalla gestured to Howard to toss me over to her and he did. I landed in Erdalla's arms and she quickly pushed me down to the next floor "Hurry up, you two!"

"BZZT! I CAN HOLD THEM OFF! BZZT!" Zeplin turned back to the Poochyena horde, which amounted to three packs now "COVER YOUR EARS. BZZT!"

Erdalla and Howard did as the Magnemite said and Zeplin unleashed an absolutely horrific sound with Metal Sound. I could hear it from a floor under and it sounded like metal scraping against each other in the worst way possible, fraying my already fragile mind. The Poochyena and Mightyena screeched in pain and covered their ears, running away in retreat.

"BZZT! THAT'LL SHOW THEM! BZZT!" Zeplin buzzed proudly as we unplugged our ears "TO THE NEXT FLOOR. BZZT!"

"Phew. Thanks for the save there Zeplin" Erdalla thanked the Magnemite as she took a Oran Berry from Howard for me to eat. The Pikachu held me in her arms, sweltered in my cloak to stop the bleeding the best she could. Turns out, the Poochyena's fangs cut deep into my internal organs and blood was flowing out fast. It took all my willpower to not black out.

"Here Alf, eat this" Erdalla fed me the Oran Berry gingerly and as the blueberry taste washed down my throat, warmth began spreading throughout my body as my wounds healed. I felt my injuries close up and the flow of blood stopped as Erdalla put me back on the ground. I felt wobbly, but able to walk still.

"Sorry for that everyone" I apologized, picking at my bloodstained, shredded cape "The Poochyena caught me off guard and I couldn't even seal the exit like I could of"

"That's hardly your fault Alfrin. The Poochyena pounced you" Erdalla shook her head "In any case, the threat's dealt with and over, so rest easy. There's still plenty of time before we hit Mt Freeze and find Articuno"

"Come to think of it, what floor are we on? I feel that we should be reaching a checkpoint soon or something" I said and Erdalla frowned, scratching her chin thoughtfully.

"I believe we're on floor number nine. If this is truly Sinister Woods, we should be near the end of the forest soon" The Pikachu pointed to her left "There's the stairs. Let's see if there's somewhere to take a break"

We descended down the stairs to the tenth floor, where a clearing laid for us to rest.

"Mm, it's been a while since we left camp. We should set up here for the time being, just to have some lunch and rest" Erdalla surmised "A nap wouldn't be bad either"

"Can anyone even sleep in these conditions…?" Howard asked, shivering "Because I don't think it's just me. It definitely got a lot colder"

On cue, a chilling wind blew through the area, freezing me right down to the bone. My shredded cape did little to protect me from the cold, but even if it was mended, I doubted it would of helped still. Erdalla was shivering just as hard as Howard was. Only Zeplin was unaffected naturally.

"I-if we set up a fire, we'll be warm. C-come along now…" Erdalla chattered and we moved towards the center of the clearing. The Pikachu drew some dry sticks out of her toolbox, laid them down in the snowdrift and thrust her hand into the air, calling down a lightning bolt to cast the sticks ablaze for a campfire. Warmth spread through my body, although that was interrupted by the cold snow under my feet.

"Let's have some food. Some nice roasted berries and nuts would do us good" Howard drew the cape closer into himself as he sat down on a nearby log "A shame we can't hunt anything here for food"

"The only decent game here are the Furrets and Mightyenas and it seems neither are present in this checkpoint of the dungeon" Erdalla rubbed her hands together in an attempt to generate more warmth. I pressed against her side to share body heat and the Pikachu didn't mind. Zeplin simply stared into the flames, entranced before his eyes darted to the entrance to the next part of the dungeon.

"BZZT! HEY, I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU AROUND HERE. WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? BZZT!" Zeplin buzzed and we all turned to see an angelic looking Pokemon staring at us, analyzing our group carefully. It had snow covered white fur, sharp black claws and tail, but most interesting of all was it's deadly ebony horn by the side of it's head.

"Absol, the Disaster Pokemon…" Erdalla whispered "It only appears in times of an impending disaster…"

The Absol stared hard at us before uttering one word.

"Run"

And bounded away back into the dungeon where it came from. A foreboding warning for sure, but what disaster was-

"BZZT! E-EARTHQUAKE! THERE'S AN EARTHQUAKE! BZZT! BZZZZTT!" Zeplin flew around in a panic, running straight back into the dungeon. We had no choice but to follow as the quake grew stronger, sundering the earth behind us and tearing down entire rows of snow bound trees. We broke into the first floor of the second dungeon and continued running, far after the catastrophe behind us has stopped. Of all times to be hit by a disaster, why was it during break time?

"We must be close to the end of the dungeon now, seeing as we just cleared the checkpoint. Keep moving everyone!" Erdalla focused ahead, where Zeplin was still zipping around in a panic. Residual shock from the quake probably "Zeplin, calm down! The quake has stopped!"

"BZZt! BZZT! EARTHQUAKE… EARTHQUAKE! BZZZTTT!" The Magnemite seemed to be in a malfunctioned frenzy, bonking into trees and such. I suppose that's what happens when you're nearly hit by a super effective blow. One dose of the quake and Zeplin would of been instantly killed.

"Zeplin, come back! You're not safe here!" Erdalla shouted again before spotting a Rhyhorn moving in to strike the frazzled Magnemite "Zeplin, look out!"

"I got this!" I blasted a steady stream of water towards the Rhyhorn. The freezing chill in the air turned the Water Gun into Ice Beam, striking the Rhyhorn and freezing it solid. Why a Rhyhorn was hanging out in an icy forest, I had no idea, but at least the threat has passed "Zeplin, come on! It's alright now!"

"BZZZT! BZZT! QUAKE… QUAAKKKEE!" Zeplin was still going crazy. Erdalla growled in frustration and leaped, snatching the Magnemite out of the air "BZZZTTTT!"

"Oh, shut up Zeplin. All you need is a quick restart…" Erdalla pressed her hand onto the Magnemite's head and shot dozens of bolts of electricity straight into the magnet, making it buzz like crazy and it's eyes to go rolling.

"Stop it Erdalla! You're killing him!" Howard protested, but the Pikachu shook her head.

"I'm not. The shockwaves from the quake must have short-circuited his brain, so he just needs a little juice to restart" Erdalla replied as she let go of Zeplin, letting the Magnemite float back into the air and shake itself off.

"BZZT! UGH, WHERE AM I? BZZT!" Zeplin shook his body vigorously "ALL I REMEMBER WAS THE QUAKE AND THEN, I SORTA JUST BLACKED OUT. WHAT HAPPENED? BZZT!"

"Nothing. Just… nothing" Erdalla sighed before pressing forward, pulling an Apple from her toolbox to eat "I see the end of the forest up ahead. Come along"

We pushed through the last vestiges of the forest until we reached a large cliff overlooking a grand snowfield below. The view was absolutely dazzling.

"If it wasn't for the extreme cold, I'd love to live here" Erdalla commented as we overlooked the view on the ridge "But the chill is exactly what's keeping our pursuers at bay, so I suppose I can't be mad at it"

"Yeah. I doubt there's any Pokemon in the world who can find us here, save for Alakazam and his team" I agreed "And if what they desire is true, then they won't see us here for a long time"

"All the more time to find Ninetales" Erdalla continued "And if not, we can at least hide out here until this whole thing blows over"

"Can't say I agree, given my own typing" Howard said, deadpanning "Now are we going to stand here overlooking the ridge or continue moving? We're liable to freeze anytime soon and we need to get to Mt Freeze before dusk"

"Right, right. Thanks for reminding us Howard" Erdalla nodded "There should be a way to descend the ridge, so let's-"

"Stop. Nobody is going past here to Mt Freeze" A female voice rang from nowhere.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" Erdalla cried.

"Nobody is getting past Frosty Forest, much less those who will destroy the world" The voice intoned "If you persist in your resistance, you'll be defeated by me!"

"And who are you? You can't be Articuno. Articuno resides on Mt Freeze!" Howard called and the voice laughed softly.

"Who said us birds can't leave our domains? I tried to ward you away from here with the winter chill, but I suppose you can't be stopped without force" The voice continued "The earthquake… destroyed many Pokemon's homes and lives. I will avenge those slain by your doing!"

"That wasn't us! Moltres himself said that-" I protested, but was cut off.

"Enough! I am the princess of ice, Articuno. By my power, you will be stopped!" A brilliant white flash bathed the area and when it faded, Articuno spread her wings in all her glory in front of us. Snowdust danced off the feathers and a chill even worse than before blew through the area "Let us begin!"

Articuno began by firing a hailstorm of icicles down onto us, but Erdalla shattered a Sunny Orb fast, casting an infernal sun over the sky to melt Articuno's attacks into water, letting me redirect them back at her.

"Futile" Articuno darted away from the countered water blasts with ease "You think you're the only ones who can change the weather? Hail!"

Instantly, grey clouds pushed the searing sun away and small ice pebbles began falling from the sky, peppering the ground around us. It was seriously hard to approach Articuno without getting a piece of ice smashed onto our faces.

"Blizzard!" Articuno roared and icy tornadoes encased all of us, trapping us in a cyclone of freezing wind. Howard was the first to be blown back, tumbling down the hill with permafrost etched onto his body. His eyes were bloodshot and his face shown great visible pain. We needed to strike back at Articuno before one of us died and quickly.

"Zeplin, Metal Sound!" I called and the Magnemite nodded through the Blizzard storm, emitting a horrific soundwave that made Articuno stutter backwards, clutching her ears in pain. The storm faded and we were able to find an opening to attack Articuno. Erdalla slammed two electrically-charged fists into Articuno's underbelly while I pulled a collection of Geo Pebbles I found inside the dungeon. If I could just manipulate them quickly enough…

"Not so fast!" Articuno flapped her wings in a great gale, blowing the Geo Pebbles out of my hand and pushing back all of us. Poor Howard got flung even further down the hill "Air Slash!"

An instantly lethal blade of wind sliced in front of Erdalla, sending her flying over the edge of the cliff. She held onto the cliff edge at the last second, holding on for dear life.

"Erdalla!" I cried, but the Pikachu simply tossed me a Hunger Seed when I ran over to her.

"Don't worry about me! Focus on the fight!" Erdalla shouted and she thrust her free hand towards Articuno, who was dealing with Zeplin and his Metal Sounds "Thunder Wave!"

A wave of paralyzing lightning caught Articuno by surprise and temporarily immobilized her, but she shook it off quickly and continued to fight Zeplin. I couldn't rescue Erdalla or else Zeplin would be overwhelmed. But if I left to aid Zeplin, Erdalla could fall…

"Howard, help Erdalla up! I'm helping Zeplin!" I yelled to the Breloom as he pulled himself up and onto the hill. He was covered in gashes and scraps from rolling down the steep hill, but he nodded in understanding and rushed to Erdalla's aid. Zeplin dodged an Ice Beam from Articuno and countered back with Thunderbolt, but the attack did next to nothing to the glacial bird and she was quickly tiring him out.

"Ah ha ha! Now begone!" Articuno's wings burst into flame from Hidden Power Fire and she swooped down, slashing Zeplin into a steaming heap down the hill. I couldn't go down to see if he was alright because I was literally the only one left to fight.

"So… you're Alfrin. You're a scrawny Pokemon to cause such havoc, but I suppose you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover" Articuno's wings gleamed with ice, indicating an attack was coming "Are you ready to end this?"

"Yes. I'm ready to end you" I growled with primal fury. This fiend ignored our pleas and hurt my teammates. I wasn't going down without a fight. I rushed towards Articuno, pulling the second Sunny Orb we had from my toolbox. I shattered it just as Articuno fired her attack, turning the Ice Beam into a water attack for my to fire back. Articuno dodged and threw an Air Slash, but not before I slammed her with a Hunger Seed to the face.

"Aaaagghh! W-what…? What is this?!" Articuno cried as she fell to the ground, utterly helpless. She couldn't fly or even fight back. Just watch as I approached her with silent fury, my gaze stone cold.

"This… is… over" I intoned and I stomped my foot onto the ground, causing the Geo Pebbles flown away earlier to shake. Then suddenly grew in size to the size of standard boulders and flew over my head, awaiting my command "Ancient… POWER!"

The boulders repeatingly pounded Articuno into submission, making her shriek in agony.

"AAAAGGHHH! MAKE IT STOP!" The glacial bird screamed before she slumped into unconsciousness, reducing herself into a simple shard of ice. I recalled my boulders to the ground before approaching the icicle, which was barely melting in the heat of the sun above us.

"Alfrin!" Howard ran toward me, looking frantic and on the verge of panic "I'm… I'm so sorry!"

"What? What is it Howard?" I asked worriedly "Where's Erdalla?"

"Erdalla, she… she got hit by Articuno's Air Slash and…"

"And? And what? Just say it Howard!"

"And she fell off the cliff"

"WHAT?!" I pushed the injured Breloom aside and ran to where Erdalla used to be by the cliffside. As he said, the Pikachu was gone and all that remained was a torn piece of her cloak left on the rock after Articuno's attack.

"Articuno you…! Where… where's Erdalla…?" I searched all over the place for any more clues of the Pikachu, but there was barely a trace. Just as Howard said, she fell off the cliff and probably didn't survive "Articuno, I'll… I'll break you into a million pieces! GIVE ME BACK ERDALLA!"

I stormed over to where Articuno's icicle form used to sit, but it was missing. I roared in anger and agony before breaking down crying. If I didn't know Erdalla's feelings when I first died, then I knew it now. She was my anchor when I came to this world, my mentor and my partner. She couldn't have simply died just like that.

"BZZT! ALFRIN, LET'S… LET'S CONTINUE ON. WE CAN'T FIND ERDALLA FROM WHERE WE ARE. WE HAVE TO MOVE ON, FOR HER SAKE. BZZT!" Zeplin said, but I swatted him away.

"No! We're searching for her, first and foremost. There has to be some way of getting down this ridge to where-"

"Alfrin, no. You're going crazy now. You have to accept what happens in life. Erdalla couldn't have survived a fall like that. It's too-"

"No, shut up. SHUT UP!" I yelled back at the Breloom, stunning him. I ran back to the ridge where the Pikachu fell "Something in my toolbox could help here. A move or item or whatever. I just need to get down this cliff!"

Suddenly, I heard the sharp cry of Articuno from behind me and saw the accursed bird fly from under the cliff, looking renewed as if I didn't pound her into dust before.

"YOU!" I summoned my boulders to surround Articuno in an orbital spiral. For once, she actually looked scared "How dare you show your face to me again! Leave or die!"

"STOP!" A new voice shouted as it arrived on the scene, bounding up the hill onto the cliff. It shot it's own Ice Beam towards my boulders, breaking them apart into pebbles that scattered onto the ground.

"F-Fiona?! What are you doing here?" Articuno asked in shock.

"These Pokemon are innocent! They aren't the world destroyers you believe they are!" The Absol cried valiantly "The earthquake in Frosty Forest wasn't their doing!"

"Disasters have been happening everywhere they go. What am I to believe from you?" Articuno countered.

"You must know by now that I can sense disasters. It was a simple coincidence that an earthquake happened just as they were passing by" Fiona argued "All over the world now, disasters are happening. Not just the places Alfrin has visited. No, the true source of the disasters is something else"

"D-do you speak truly?"

"Of course. You know I would never lie to you" Fiona replied "Now please let them pass. As to continue their quest to prevent the disasters"

Articuno frowned, thinking. For a few seconds, she said nothing.

"... Fine. I'll let them pass" Articuno spread her great wings "But only because you vouched for them, Fiona. If the truth comes to light that Alfrin is the one responsible for all of us, I WILL end all of you. Farewell!"

And with that, Articuno flew away into the snowy skies, all before I could even ask her about Erdalla.

"So are you the Absol that warned us of the earthquake earlier?" Howard asked Fiona. The Absol turned to the rest of us, analyzing us carefully again.

"Yes. Allow me to introduce myself" Fiona replied "I am Fiona, a lone Absol of this region and a forewarner of disasters. Pleasure to meet you"

"... A pleasure" I said without enthusiasum "We're Team Lazulian of Pokemon Square. I'm Alfrin, the co-leader. This is Howard and that's Zeplin"

"Hello"

"BZZT! HOWDY. BZZT!"

"Co-leader, are you? Where's the leade-"

"Don't. Ask" I growled before moving to the opposite side of the cliff where Erdalla fell. A path opened up to go down the cliff after Articuno flew away "Let's go to Mt Freeze. Ninetales awaits"

"What happened to looking for Erdalla?" Howard asked.

"Didn't you just say that I should accept that she died and move on? We're not looking for her" I snapped "Now come. It's hopeless to go searching for a body that has fallen off a cliff"

"... Very well. Right behind you" Howard fell in line behind me, looking guilty. Zeplin and Fiona joined in as well, smartly staying silent. I grit my teeth in primal anger and frustration. None of this would have happened if Gengar didn't spread his lies in Pokemon Square. I wouldn't have suffered for weeks straight and lost Erdalla. If I saw the slimy bastard now, I wouldn't even know how to contain my rage. For the first time, I felt Erdalla's sheer anger over Gengar and I understood it immediately. He took something very dear away from he and he was going to pay for it.

In blood.

 _Our team:_

 _\- Alfrin, Mudkip - Scarred Co-leader_

 _Level 30_

 _Moves: Water Pulse, Ice Beam, Mud Shot and Ancient Power_

 _\- Howard, Breloom - Chilled Bodyguard_

 _Level 31_

 _Moves: Mach Punch, Bullet Seed, Spore and Absorb_

 _\- Zeplin, Magnemite - Mechanical Companion_

 _Level 28_

 _Moves: Thunderbolt, Metal Sound, Thunder Shock and Sonic Boom_

 _\- Fiona, Absol - Forewarner of Calamity_

 _Level 29_

 _Moves: Ice Beam, Faint Attack, Slash and Swords Dance_

 **Phew what a chapter. I actually forgot you fight Articuno at the end of Frosty Forest, so this ended up being more exciting than I initially thought it would be. And with the Articuno battle comes a new ally: Fiona the Absol. Like Zeplin, Absol is a forced recruitment in the main story, so that's why she's here. I would prefer to not have another Absol character in the story after Ezra in Explorers of Light and Shadow (even though I adore Absol to death), but I don't want to mess around with canon too much. Coming up next is Mt Freeze, where the remnants of Team Lazulian hope to find Ninetales and finally bring their quest to an end. If you want to be notified of when a new chapter comes out, favorite and follow. If you want to leave constructive criticism or praise, leave a review. Until next time!  
**


	16. Chapter 15: A Chilling Nightmare

PMD: Fateful Saviors

Chapter 15: A Chilling Nightmare

"Ughh… pleh…" I groaned as I opened my eyes and spat the snow out of my mouth. My mind was hazy at the moment, but the last thing I remembered was flying out of Howard's grip after being struck by a blade of wind. Right after that, I was unconscious. I pulled myself out of the snowdrift and looked up into the monotone grey skies, where a cliff edge loomed overhead. Must of fallen down from there. I was one lucky girl to survive that.

"Hopefully Alfrin and the others made it out alive" I trudged out of the snowbank and back onto the main path of the forest. I had no idea where I was now or where I needed to go. All I saw up ahead was a tall mountain, which I assumed was Mt Freeze. I should be able to meet up with our teammates there, although I wondered about my chances of survival going around alone like this. Strong as I was, I was weakened and alone. Any hungry, lusty or what-have-you Pokemon would be eager to snatch me up for lunch… or worse. Additionally, I was covered in blood and injuries from my fall from the cliff.

"Wonderful. No Oran Berries in my toolbox" I grumbled as I checked the dented box still strapped over my shoulder. The lid was open, meaning my items must of flew out while I fell. I scanned the ground around myself and found one Oran Berry lodged in the snow. I picked it up and gave it a test nibble. It was utterly frozen and barely gave me the familiar warmth a regular Oran Berry would. As I expected, the healing was minimal, so I threw it back down. Maybe if I was lucky, I would find a settlement to heal up in.

"My back aches a bit and I'm covered in cuts and scratches, but nothing serious" I murmured to myself as I assessed my injuries "I should be able to make it to Mt Freeze to meet back with everyone. Time to move"

Unluckily for me, my cloak was shredded from the fall and I had nothing else in my toolbox to keep myself warm. A cold gale blew by and chilled me right down to my bones. I drew the remains of my cape close to me, shivering and chattering. I didn't know what time it was, but if night drew close, then I was finished. There was no way I could prevent becoming a frozen Pikachu. In my state, I could barely manage a burst of short-ranged lightning, much less a bolt capable of sparking a fire. All I could do was keep moving.

"Just keep walking. Just keep walking" I repeated to myself as I trudged through the increasingly-deeper snow on the path. The snow wasn't this high before. A snowstorm must of blew by while I was out. Or maybe Articuno's Blizzard caused it.

"Articuno… another disillusioned deity thinking we're in the wrong" I grit my teeth, both to warm myself with anger and placate my frustration "If I see her again, I'm giving her a piece of my electrified mind, if Alfrin hasn't already with a Rock type move"

My thoughts went to Alfrin after that. Thinking back on it, I was shocked by how much he's developed over the last few months we've been together. At first, he was an amnesiac rookie, barely knowing the most basic concepts in this world, as befitting one who used to be human. In a quick span of time, it seemed like he got used to his role as a Pokemon and became a much more capable fighter, as well as a Pokemon in general. If it weren't for this quest, I would have thought he to be a normal Mudkip by now. In no time, he became my co-leader and right hand, a role I didn't expect the first inexperienced apprentice to take up.

""For now, I'll consider you a trainee and it's my job to train the trainee"" I muttered to myself. That was something I told Alfrin way back when we first took on Mt Steel after he asked if he was a burden to me. So insecure back then and such a far cry now. Lately, I've been so focused on the quest and fighting that I didn't even have time to think about my experiences for the last month. With Alfrin being so trustworthy, reliable and earnest now, I wondered if I even…

"Foolish fop. You're freezing to death and here you are, wondering if you even love him" I scolded myself before laughing lightly. I was definitely going crazy now "Well, if keeps me distracted at least. Surely there's somewhere to rest just up ahead"

I brought my gaze up and only saw pale white mist obscuring my view amidst the rapid fall of snow. No sign of Mt Freeze and the storm around me seemed to grow stronger by the minute. I peered forward into the fog, shivering both out of fear and chilliness. I hated normal black darkness, but white darkness scared me even more. The very thought of clear, grey-ish ghosts were enough to send goosebumps down my neck.

"Argh… maybe I should just… rest a bit" I yawned and began to sit down before I slapped myself. I couldn't fall asleep now. I had to continue going forward and I knew that if I fell now, I would never wake up again. Keep moving… keep moving… keep moving…!

"Team Lazulian's leader would never be defeated so easily…" I told myself "Keep going. Keep… pressing forward. Your team… needs you…!"

Every word felt harder on my tongue as the storm grew stronger and threatened to overwhelm me. Snowdust fell upon me, sprinkling me with snow and just for a brief moment, I saw the visage of a grey shadow up ahead. My heart stopped. The shadow seemed to notice my presence and turned to approach me.

"N-no… come no closer…" I stepped backwards in fear. My will to fight died with my fall off the cliff and I felt no strength, no confidence and no pride like I once did before. My greatest fear came to light: dying alone with nobody to support and find me. I was going to die to my darkest nightmare: a pale silver ghost with no face that left my paralyzed in place "B-begone! Or I'll… I'll…"

The shadow said nothing and continued to move towards me. I could barely discern it in the falling snowstorm. Quivering, I rose my hand up to the specter.

"I-I said, go away! Don't even-" I backed up until I hit against a tree "Don't eve- Gah!"

The ghost suddenly snatched me by the neck and picked me up into the air, choking me. Briefly, I glanced down at it's faceless head and saw Gengar's face laughing at me.

"You really are weak, aren't you? A simple dig through your mind gave me the secret to utterly breaking you. Keh heh heh" The ghost gloated "And to think, your greatest fear is a figure on a white canvas. You're a baby, Erdalla! Keh heh heh!"

"Gengar…! You'll- Ghurkk…!" The ghost's grip on my neck tightened and black spots danced across my eyes "Can't… breathe…"

"Keh heh heh! Don't even have the will to fight, huh?" The ghost slammed me against the tree and I crumbled to the ground, my consciousness slipping away "What happened to that fiery confidence and vigor, huh? What happened to the mighty leader of Team Lazulian?!"

With every word, he punched me over and over in the face. I felt my bones crack and blood gush out of my nose and mouth. Yet I could do nothing but endure as exhaustion overtook me and darkness began blanking out my vision.

"And to think this was the way to end you all along! Keh heh heh!" Again and again, the silver ghost viciously hit me, covering it's fists with my blood "No elaborate plan and no assassination needed. Just a pale silver ghost to render you completely useless! Keh heh heh… HA HA HA!"

I was already dizzy and hazy with pain. One strike… two strikes… a third strike…

"Let's finish this. I'll be sure to send Alfrin to see you!" The ghost gloated "GOODBYE ERDALLA! FOR NOW AND FOREVER! AH HA HA HA!"

The ghost's hands grabbed my head, preparing to snap my neck. But at the mention of Alfrin, something snapped within me as well.

"No… I'm…" I whispered "I'm not done yet"

Before the specter could react, I pressed my hand against it's chest and launched an intense burst of lightning that blew it back, smoldering. It couldn't even recover before something stabbed it in the back, making it dissolve into particles of silver dust.

"Erdalla! Are you okay?!" Salazar ran up to me, with Natalie and Erina in tow. I was already collapsed to the ground and unconscious, broken from exhaustion and injury. My world faded to black, with the panicked faces of my comrades being the last memory.

…

"Erdalla!" I cried again, shaking the broken Pikachu. She turned to Erina with a desperate look in her eyes "She looks really hurt. Can you heal her?"

"I restored your left arm, Natalie. It's nothing I can't do" The Chansey reasoned and got to work next to the fallen Pikachu, kneeling in the snow to begin her work. Me and Salazar stood back and simply watched, silent. I twisted around my left arm experimentally. As I thought, it was still relatively sore, disjointed and impossible to strain. Had I have to use it in battle, it would be useless. Thankfully, my jaws were all I needed.

"When we came out to the forest in search of Erdalla and the others, I didn't expect this" Salazar said quietly beside me. Erina was already cracking open an egg from her pouch, letting soft gold light wash over Erdalla's battered body "If a specter did Erdalla this badly, I fear…"

"The others are fine" I assured boldly "Erdalla isn't the only strong Pokemon in this band"

"Then where are the others…?" Salazar looked around themselves slowly "They wouldn't leave Erdalla to bleed out here"

"I…" I was at a loss for words. Why did they leave Erdalla alone here with the ghost? Was she sent ahead to simply scout and got caught or… "Maybe they got separated somehow. We can ask Erdalla herself once she wakes up"

"True. Let's at least take her somewhere to rest. If the way your arm is treating you…" Salazar poked my arm lightly, making me twitch "Then I doubt Erdalla's beating is instantly fixed"

"What place could we possibly find for her to rest in?" Erina asked "This entire place is just a frozen wasteland"

"An overpass or something will do. We just need to make Erdalla comfortable while we rest" I bit my lip, quivering in the cold "And the longer we spend talking her, the faster we'll freeze. Let's go"

"Fine. Natalie, you carry Erdalla. Salazar, watch out for hostile Pokemon and I'll act as the healer, like usual" Erina's tone was more serious than Salazar ever heard. Maybe it was the absence of Howard, but more so because of the dire situation. Team Lazulian's goal was right in front of them: Mt Freeze. The destiny of their entire cause was about to be decided once they reach the top. As such, there was no time to lose. I scooped up the freshly healed Pikachu the best I could, aware of my sore arm and stiff shoulder. Losing an arm wasn't what I expected when I joined these guys.

"How long do you think it'll be before Erdalla awakens?" Salazar asked Erina. The Chansey glanced at the Pikachu in my arms before approaching me, swiveling the torn cloak fastened around Erdalla's neck to cover her "Erina?"

"I heard you" The Chansey grumbled "Her wounds are fresh and she wasn't out for long. Ordinarily, she'd wake up after a few minutes, but…"

"But what?" I asked worriedly.

"There were more wounds than I expected" Erina replied gravely "Scratches, gashes and cuts… things you wouldn't expect a punch-happy ghost to be able to deliver"

"A ghost sliced off my arm" I said matter-of-factually and the Chansey only shrugged.

"Who knows? We only witnessed the ghost punching Erdalla" Erina replied "Regardless, these extra injuries were etched in frost and time, so she's more hurt than when we found her"

I found myself subconsciously tucking Erdalla's ruined cape closer into her to attempt to warm her up. I couldn't lose her. I couldn't. Out of all the people here, she was the one I felt the most connected to, outside of Alfrin. Because of that one moment atop Mt Blaze…

"So she's probably going to be out for at least a few hours. Hopefully less than that" Erina broke me out of my thoughts.

"Even then, I'm sure she'll have a hard time walking after a beatdown like that" Salazar added glumly. I agreed silently. I had such problems myself after waking up from my slumber. After staying in bed for so long, I stumbled and fallen countless times. Pathetic, since it's only been two days since the incident, but that's how it happened. I just felt… so unbalanced after losing my arm and getting it back.

"Hopefully we reunite with the others soon. It's hard enough on Salazar protecting us two" Erina glanced to the Scyther, who only nodded impassively "Now we have Erdalla incapacitated and Natalie burdened. Pray that nothing finds us appetizing"

"They won't if they see me" Salazar assured "Nobody walks away from a Scyther without a couple slashes"

Erina smiled "Thank you Salazar"

The trip ahead was uneventful from that point on. Nothing felt like challenging them. Or more like, nothing WAS there to challenge them. Getting closer and closer to Mt Freeze, we saw less and less Pokemon. In fact, it looks like nothing lived here.

"What's with this place?" I asked, surveying our surroundings again. I was on high alert, especially with Erdalla in my arms, uncomfortably stirring as if she was in a nightmare "There's nothing here but trees, snow and nature. I thought I would have seen a Piloswine or a Mightyena around by now"

"Predators, especially Mightyena and their pack, don't like the deeper part of the forest" Salazar answered "Too cold here. Nothing for them to hunt. Even fluffy ones like Furret withdraw to the lower reaches of Frosty Forest and that's where the hyena pack strikes"

"What DOES live here then? Nothing?" I pressed and Salazar frowned, looking around as if asking himself the same question.

"I guess. I'd imagine that anything atop Mt Freeze would be too hard for the Mightyenas to attack, especially since they're fighting on lower ground coming in" The Scyther informed "Seems like we'll be safe here"

"Good. Let's take a rest then" I spotted a small clearing nearby nestled between a tall tree and a fallen log. Maybe if we cleared the snow, we could use it for a short while "Over there"

I led my comrades to the spot and set Erdalla down on the log, making her as comfortable as I could on a cylinder-like piece of wood. We cleared the snow away and sat down, catching a breather. The blizzard that ravaged our entrance into the forest subsided gradually and now, a gentle snowfall fell over the deserted forest.

"Beautiful and yet…" I thought aloud. The snowfall was a hypocritical omen, considering the situation we were in. Erdalla was hurt, our friends were nowhere to be found and the weather had the audacity to look like a peaceful time. I balled my hand into a fist and then released, not knowing where my anger was even going to. The gods? They've scorned me enough, so it wasn't worth it.

"We're getting close to Mt Freeze" Salazar stared ahead from our vantage point. A hint of worry was in his voice "And yet, we still haven't found any of our companions. Not a trace of footprints in the snow, so I doubt they're already on the mountain"

"Footprints can be covered up fast" Erina suggested, but Salazar shook his head.

"It's not snowing so hard that their footprints would be covered in less than a day" The Scyther replied "Maybe…"

"Maybe we're ahead of them" I offered "That would explain why only Erdalla is here. Maybe they got delayed"

"That's possible…" Salazar closed his eyes, deep in thought "But shouldn't they have caught up with us by now? Erdalla IS here with us and I'm sure they would be frantic if she was missing. Especially Alfrin"

"True…" I bit my lip, thinking of another possibility "What if-"

"Ughh…" I heard a groan beside me and I jerked my head to the source. Erdalla's eyes were blinking awake.

"Erdalla! Are you alright?" I rushed to the Pikachu's side, helping her down to the ground so she could see the rest of us better. Erdalla's eyes were hazy, but as she blinked them more, more color returned to it.

"Natalie? Salazar?" The Pikachu sat up, wincing a bit from her past injuries "What… what happened? What are you guys doing here?"

"Natalie recovered faster than we thought and she insisted on coming here to join you" Salazar replied while I hugged the Pikachu tightly "Me and especially Erina protested due to her condition but she threatened us with her jaws so…"

Erdalla sighed as she embraced me in turn "I guess there's no ordering you back to safety now that you've come so far. Thank you all for rescuing me. I don't know what would have become of me if you guys didn't come"

"Speaking of which, where is everyone else?" Erina asked "We didn't encounter them deeper into the forest and nothing suggests that they reached Mt Freeze yet"

"... I don't know" Erdalla replied sadly as she let me go "Last time I saw them, we were fighting Articuno in a clearing of Frosty Forest"

"Articuno? Like the final legendary bird? The one that resides on Mt Freeze?" Salazar asked, surprised. Erdalla only nodded.

"Seems like Articuno doesn't follow tradition. It attacked us and sent me flying over to a cliff edge" The Pikachu adjusted her eyepatch which has miraculous survived everything that has happened to her lately. Her other eye belayed a sad and icy interior, scarred by all the events leading up to now "Alfrin ran to help me and I told him to take my Hunger Seed to defeat Articuno. He did and went off to save Zeplin while Howard helped me up. However, Articuno shot a blade of air at me and sent me tumbling down the cliff"

Erdalla held up her fingers, which were soaked from the snow and slush "Before Erina healed me, these fingers were sliced open from the slash. The rest of my body took serious damage from the fall"

"So that was why you were so injured before encountering the ghost" Erina realized "What was with it anyways?"

"I'm getting to that. The ghost found me after I wandered for an hour or so in the forest. It… was Gengar, manifested as my worst fear" Erdalla said darkly.

Natalie gulped "Your worst fear…?"

"A pale ghost, barely visible in the light I perceive to keep me safe. An apparition with no face so I don't know what I'm even fighting. Something formless, yet strong enough to throttle anything. Something… that makes me crumble to my knees" Erdalla closed her eyes, not even caring that she bared so much weakness to her companions. She just needed to let it all out "A funny fear, isn't it? To be scared to death by a ghost wearing a sheet"

"Erdalla, that's not-"

"Mm regardless, a fear is a fear. I can't change something so deep within me" Erdalla stood up "I think we've earned enough rest. Let's press on to Mt Freeze"

"What about Alfrin and the others?" Salazar asked as he stood up too.

"If Alfrin was smart, he would lead Zeplin and Howard to Mt Freeze. This quest concerns him, after all" The Pikachu answered simply "And if Howard's as sensible as I make him out to be, he would advise against finding me"

"That's… cold" I stammered.

"I prefer having logical companions over emotional ones" Erdalla shrugged "I shouldn't have survived that cliff fall. None of us could of"

"Still, to abandon you like that…"

Erdalla simply looked away from me, refusing to continue "... Let's move. Hopefully we'll meet up with the others soon"

…

"ALFRIN, THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE. BZZT!" Zeplin buzzed in front of the dazed Mudkip "ONCE WE ENTER MT FREEZE'S DUNGEON, THERE'S NO GOING BACK TO FIND ERDALLA. BZZT!"

"You already know my answer Zeplin" I snapped "I'm not going back to find Erdalla. Howard said so twice. Nobody should be able to survive that long of a fall and even if they did, they would freeze to death from these conditions"

"DO YOU NOT HAVE AT LEAST A LITTLE FAITH IN HER? BZZT!" Zeplin replied angrily "COME ON, ALFRIN. SHE'S BEEN YOUR PARTNER EVER SINCE YOU CAME TO THIS WORLD. WOULD IT NOT KILL YOU TO AT LEAST FIND HER? BZZT!"

"That would be a waste of time. This forest is huge. She could be anywhere" I replied coldly "And there's the chance that she was eaten by Mightyenas already, froze to death or died to permafrost. We'll be wasting time on our mission for nothing"

"NOTHING? YOU CONSIDER ERDALLA NOTHING?! BZZT!" Zeplin was really getting angry now "ALFRIN, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?! BZZT!"

"Erdalla happened" I growled back "And now she's gone"

"WELL I DON'T BELIEVE SHE'S GONE. BZZT!"

"Good for you"

"WHY AM I THE ONE BELIEVING SHE'S ALIVE, WHEN YOU'VE BEEN HER CO-LEADER AND PARTNER?! BZZT!" Zeplin yelled "YOU SHOULD BE THE ONE SEARCHING FOR HER, TO AT LEAST CONFIRM IF SHE'S ALIVE OR DEAD. BUT HERE YOU ARE, MOPING AND ACTING COLD. BZZT!"

"Zeplin, this is MY quest. My destiny rests in this dungeon. Meeting Ninetales here will change everything!" I shot back "And if I waste time searching for a dead girl, the world will continue to be ravaged by disasters. Gengar will continue to wreck havoc on our lives. Now is our time to change that and we don't need Erdalla for it!"

"YOU… YOU REALLY BELIEVE ERDALLA'S DEAD? BZZT!"

"YES!" I screamed, causing Howard and Fiona to step back in fear. The two have been silent for the entire journey towards Mt Freeze. Only Zeplin was brave enough to stand up to their now-cold leader.

"FINE. BELIEVE THAT. I'M GOING TO SEARCH FOR ERDALLA ON MY OWN. BZZT!" Zeplin twitched with anger. He couldn't believe Alfrin, a friendly and mostly mild guy, has been transformed to this cold, edgy beast after Erdalla's presumed doom "YOU DON'T NEED ME ON MT FREEZE IF YOU DON'T NEED ERDALLA. I'M GONE! BZZT!"

Without looking back, Zeplin departed from my side and flew off into the vast frozen forest, disappearing quickly from sight.

"Are you sure we'll be fine without him? Mt Freeze isn't a dungeon to mess with, you know" Fiona warned in a small voice.

"We'll be fine" I grumbled back before forging ahead so I was alone. I slapped my forehead and moaned out in frustration and anger.

Oh gods… what have I become?

 _ **Alfrin's Team:**_

 _\- Alfrin, Mudkip - Icy Co-Leader_

 _Level 30_

 _Moves: Water Pulse, Ice Beam, Ancient Power and Mud Shot_

 _\- Howard, Breloom - Strung Bodyguard_

 _Level 32_

 _Moves: Mach Punch, Bullet Seed, Spore and Absorb_

 _\- Fiona, Absol - Forewarner of Calamity_

 _Level 29_

 _Moves: Slash, Faint Attack, Ice Beam and Swords Dance_

 ** _Erdalla's Team:_**

 _\- Erdalla, Pikachu - Broken Lazulian_

 _Level 31_

 _Moves: Thunder Punch, Thunderbolt, Quick Attack and Thunder Wave_

 _\- Natalie, Mawile - Rehabilitated Ex-Criminal_

 _Level 27_

 _Moves: Vicegrip, Bite, Headbutt and Faint Attack_

 _\- Salazar, Scyther - Lazulian Defender_

 _Level 28_

 _Moves: Slash, Pursuit, Fury Cutter and Quick Attack_

 _\- Erina, Chansey - Pious Healer_

 _Level 26_

 _Moves: Egg Bomb, Softboiled, Refresh and Lucky Chant_

 **Ha ha ha. I say things, but I almost never mean them. I literally told you guys and myself that we're going to Mt Freeze this chapter, but nope, filler so the cast is back together and to further develop everyone's characters. Oh and also check up on Erdalla, but that's not important (jk). Coming up next is definitely Mt Freeze and the climax of the the story probably. If you want to be notified of when new chapters come out, favorite and follow. If you want to leave constructive criticism or praise, leave a review. Until next time!  
**


	17. Chapter 16: Permafrost Revelation

PMD: Fateful Saviors

Chapter 16: Permafrost Revelation

Without waiting for Zeplin to return, we entered Mt Freeze's dungeon, intent to rush to the summit as quick as possible. We didn't know 100% if Ninetales was here, but I had a tingling feeling in my gut that said it was true. My entire body was shivering with anticipation. Either that, or I was just cold.

"Feeling alright, Alfrin?" Howard asked me slowly as we trekked through the snow and stone maze that made up the dungeon. Most of the wild Pokemon we met in the dungeon were Normal and Rock type Pokemon strangely. Not that I was complaining, seeing as it made Howard's job easier. Still, I'd be lying if seeing a Shelgon here wasn't odd, "Alfrin?"

"I heard you," I grumbled back, but I eased my tone. There was no point getting angry at Howard or Fiona. The Breloom simply insisted on the most logical course of action and it made sense. Erdalla even stated that she prefers logical teammates over emotional ones once, so I made sure to follow her example, "I'm… I'm alright. I shouldn't have yelled at Zeplin back there and sent him off"

"That was his decision and not yours. Don't kick yourself over it," Howard assured me, "Though I find it a bit hypocritical that he's searching for Erdalla on his own when he himself said not to do it after the Articuno battle"

"Minds change by the second. The Magnemite simply had a change of heart," Fiona said sagely before staring behind her, "Though going out alone to search for one dead body isn't the wisest of ideas…"

"Truth be told, I was going to try and find her after we met with Ninetales," I admitted, "A part of me truly doesn't believe she's dead. And while he's not here now, I can respect Zeplin for acting on it early. Maybe she really is alive now. But if I left searching for her until after we cleared Mt Freeze, she could of died"

"Alfrin, the winds of fate are a fickle thing of fiction. They are meant to be imagined, dreamt upon and not to be questioned. If I did this, what could change? If I did that, something would happen," Howard put his hand on my shoulder, which surprised me, "If you continue being stuck on the crossroads of fate, you'll never move anywhere. Stick to your current course and Zeplin will stay with his. Hope that he and Erdalla come back alive"

"Hope… I could use some of that now. Even though there are three of us here, I feel so, so very alone," I confessed. I mentally told myself that now wasn't the time to break down, but the whirlpool of violent emotions bottled up inside me ever since the Articuno battle. I felt like I was bursting, "What I wouldn't give for Erina, Salazar, Natalie or hell, even Gildan to keep our spirits up. It just feels… so dead around here"

"You aren't wrong. This is the coldest region on the continent after all," Even Fiona, cloaked in her warm fur, was shivering slightly, "Aside from the few wild Pokemon, only Articuno lives here. Ninetales too, if the legend is true"

"Then it should be an easy climb for us. Danger that it has, a dungeon makes it easier to make it to the summit," I put on the best smile I could, even if it was cracked, "No need to scale high cliffs or brave dangerous weather"

"Yes… that would be the end of us all. Maybe except for Fiona," Howard peered at me closely, watching me walk, "Alfrin, stay close to me. You're going to freeze"

"I am not," Right after, I sneezed, "Unngh… Fiona didn't lie when she said this was the coldest part of the continent…"

"Maybe this will help," The Breloom picked me up by the neck, erecting a yelp of protest from me. Carrying me over to Fiona, I was suddenly dropped onto the Absol's back, with both me and her crying out in surprise, "There. You should be fine if you snuggle into Fiona's fur. I'll handle any wild Pokemon"

"Howard… I did not consent to this!" Fiona yelped. She was unaccustomed to being touched in the slightest, much less ridden like a mount, "Get… get him off me. I can't fight like this"

"I said that I would handle any wild Pokemon," Howard repeating, smirking, "There isn't a lot here, like you said. So one Pokemon can take care of it, right?"

"I guess…"

"And you have your Ice Beam, which doesn't require you to thrash around or anything. Just accept it, alright? For Alfrin's sake," Howard pleaded and the Absol sighed.

"Fine. But it's on you if we suddenly attract an- Oh," Fiona turned her eyes on me, but I was already asleep on her mane, consumed by stress and exhaustion from the fight with Articuno. The Absol sighed again in exasperation, "Poor guy. So much on his shoulders and yet…"

"The size and age of a child perhaps. Yeah," Howard shook his head as we ascended to the sixth floor, "Still, this entire mess will be resolved if we find Ninetales here. The final stretch of Alfrin's journey"

"If we find Ninetales," Fiona repeated bitterly, "I've been around here countless times and haven't seen them once"

"We have to trust that Ninetales is here. It's too late to go back now," The Breloom replied, instinctively punching a Vigoroth square in the face to repel it. Any actual threat like Slaking were sleeping in and Zangoose were down in Frosty Forest, hunting easier prey, "Let's have at least a little faith, alright?"

"Mm… very well"

…

"MM… STILL NOTHING. I'VE SEARCHED AND SEARCHED, BUT SHE'S STILL NOT AROUND! BZZT!" Zeplin muttered to himself as he flew back up to the ridge where we fought Articuno, "BZZT! I THOUGHT FOR SURE I'D FIND HER SOMEWHERE DOWN THERE. BUT NO FOOTPRINTS AND NO BODY. WHERE EVEN IS SHE…?"

"BZZT! NO POINT IN STICKING AROUND HERE. LET'S TRY TO CATCH UP WITH ALFRIN AND THE OTHERS IN MT FREEZE," Zeplin decided and headed back to the icy mountain. However, when he got within sight of the dungeon's entrance, he froze in fear, "WHAT… HOW…?"

"This is it, huh? The final dungeon Team Lazulian could be hiding in," Tyranitar of Team A.C.T observed as he looked up the stark peak, "From here, there is nowhere else to run besides jumping into the Grand Sea"

"And none of them will survive that journey. Not even Alfrin," Charizard agreed, "Is that right, Alakazam?"

"Mm. Is it so. We've given them up until this point to solve the mystery. And now they are out of time," Alakazam nodded, "Come, Team A.C.T! Today, we are finishing off Team Lazulian once and for all and riding the world of disasters!"

"YEAH!"

And with that, the trio proceeded into Mt Freeze. Zeplin knew they would catch up to Alfrin and others fast. He needed to stop them.

"Zeplin!" The Magnemite heard a voice cry out from beside him and he turned to see Erdalla, Salazar, Erina and Natalie trudging towards him on the snow path, "Zeplin, is that you?!"

"ERDALLA! YOU'RE ALIVE! BZZT!" Zeplin zoomed over and crashed into the Pikachu as a hug, nearly knocking her over. Erdalla took it in stride however and howled with laughter, embracing the Magnemite, "YOU DON'T KNOW HOW WORRIED ALL OF US WERE. WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?! BZZT!"

"It's… a long story. Let's just say I survived and these three misfits found me. And by misfits, I mean Natalie because she should be resting off her injuries," Erdalla glared at the Mawile and she looked away, embarrassed but giggling, "What about you Zeplin? Where's Alfrin and the others?"

"THEY WENT UP TO MT FREEZE ALREADY. I LEFT TO GO AND TRY TO FIND YOU. BZZT!" Zeplin replied as Erdalla let go of the Magnemite, "AND NOW THAT I DID, WE NEED TO HURRY! BZZT!"

"Why? What's the matter Zeplin?" Salazar asked, worried and the Magnemite glanced towards the dungeon entrance, grimacing.

"I… I SAW TEAM A.C.T GOING INTO THE DUNGEON SHORTLY BEFORE YOU GUYS CAME. THEY'RE COMING FOR ALFRIN AND THE OTHERS! BZZT!" Zeplin explained and Erdalla gasped in horror.

"They… they're actually here?! And out to get us?" Erdalla asked and Zeplin nodded frantically, "Okay, we have to rush Mt Freeze and catch them before they kill Alfrin and Howard! We can't waste any time!"

"Erdalla, are you sure we can stop them? I mean, it's Team A.C.T we're talking about here," Erina said carefully and Erdalla grit her teeth, frustrated.

"I know it is, but we can't just let them take out Alfrin before they reach the summit!" The Pikachu snapped, "We don't need to fight them. All we need to do is stall them out and explain that Ninetales will reveal the truth atop Mt Freeze. That's it"

"So is Ninetales really on the top of Mt Freeze or what?"

"Why does it matter now, Salazar?"

"Nothing. Just… nothing"

"THE PLAN IS SET THEN. LET'S GO! BZZT!" Zeplin rallied and charged into the dungeon, with the four other Pokemon trailing behind.

"Come on, come on. Can fate just be merciful to me for once in my life…?" Erdalla muttered to herself as the group dashed through the dungeon at frantic speeds, blitzing through any wild Pokemon that got in their way, "I can't lose Alfrin. Not after everything we've been through…"

…

Despite the frigid chill, I actually managed a blissful rest on Fiona's neck. Her fur was really warm. So much so that I was still sleeping by the time we reached a rest stop between the mountain base and the peak.

"Deep sleeper, aren't you…?" Fiona murmured as she gently slid me off her back and onto the ground, curled up against her warm body, "Hope you're having good dreams there, buddy"

"Sometimes I wish I was as small as him. I could use a nap myself," Howard yawned, leaning against a wall, "Leaning against you with my height would just crush you"

"And it would be creepy. You're a grown man after all," The Absol smiled lightly as Howard snickered, "Get yourself another girl to snuggle with"

"I already have one actually"

"Oh do you now?"

"Well, maybe. I'm not sure about it myself," Howard frowned, sitting up, "I mean, we've been lifelong companions our entire lives and I've devoted myself to be her bodyguard. But I'm not sure we creep into the romantic territory. We're just really close friends"

"How disappointed she must be when the love of her life pushes her away as a friend," Fiona teased the Breloom and he backed away, glaring at the Absol, "Relax Howard. I don't even know who your friend is. What would I know?"

"Yeah but… now you're just making me insecure," Howard bit his lip and Fiona rested her paw on his shoulder.

"If there's one thing I can say, it's that I foretell a disaster in your relationship if you don't pool it out soon. So muster up the courage, alright? She won't push you away for doing it," Fiona assured in a soothing tone, "She IS your lifelong partner, right?"

"Yeah… yeah, she is"

"Then something like this shouldn't strain your relationship. Now give it a little thought," Fiona let go of Howard's shoulder, noticing that I was stirring in my sleep, "Oh look, he's about to awaken"

"Mmgh… good morning…" I cracked open my eyes to see Fiona and Howard's faces staring down at me, "How far did we get to and how long was I asleep?"

"We got through fifteen floors of Mt Freeze and we're currently at a rest spot. You've been out for about an hour and a half now," Howard stated, "How was your nap, sleepy head?"

"It was good actually. Fiona's fur is really warm," I remarked, wiping my eyes as the Absol blushed, "More importantly, I had a dream while I was asleep"

"Did you now? What did you see?"

"I had dreams like this before. I was in a world filled with ever changing colours like a kaleidoscope and inside this world, I heard a distant voice calling out to me," I explained, "Every time, I could barely make out what they were saying. But now, I understood"

"What were they saying?" Fiona asked, intrigued.

"The owner of the voice appeared in front of me. It was a Gardevoir," I replied, "Just like the legend. She said that she was so glad we finally got to meet and that Ninetales was expecting us at the top of Mt Freeze"

"Wait, wait, wait. Back up a bit here. You're saying that the real Gardevoir from the Ninetales legend appeared in your dreams?!" Howard repeated and I nodded, "And she's always been in them?"

"This is the first time I saw her in the flesh, but yes, she's been popping up in my dreams constantly ever since I arrived here," I admitted, "It's what made me believe I was the cursed human but… she never has shown any remorse or hatred towards me in the times we talked"

"In any case, what matters is that Ninetales from the legend is here, if Alfrin's dream is true!" Fiona said excitedly, "We can finally know the truth about the disasters"

"Yes and with that, we should make for the summit. Let's end this once and for all," I nodded with renewed determination, "No more guessing around or uncertainty. Finally… we have some real guidance"

And on that word, we proceed into the Mt Freeze Peaks…

…

"Damn! These wild Pokemon never seem to let up!" Erdalla growled as she blasted a Slaking with dozens of electrical bolts, only slowing it slightly as it rampaged closer towards the group. A Monster House spawned in and it was giving the squad a surprising amount of trouble. Within seconds, they were surrounded, "Natalie and Zeplin, shield Salazar and Erina! These Zangoose are vicious!"

"Dammit! These guys take forever to take out!" Salazar snarled as he dueled blade to claw with three other Zangoose, carefully whirling and slashing to try and defeat them all. With a swift stroke of Slash, the Scyther ripped through one Zangoose's chest and killed it, but the other two pushed him back with Crush Claw, "Zeplin, a little electrical outburst would help now!"

"I'M TRYING! BUT THESE PUPITAR ARE JUST… ARGHH!" Zeplin buzzed in annoyance as he shot off a Thunderbolt to eviscerate the two Zangoose fighting Salazar before getting knocked back by a Pupitar Headbutt, "OW! BZZT!"

"I got you covered!", Natalie dashed in and swiveled her giant steel jaws onto the Pupitar, slamming them backwards with Iron Head before chewing them up to raw pebbles. The Mawile dealt with the second Pupitar the same way before falling back to assist Erdalla, "Okay, there's only a few left. Don't give up everyone!"

"Everyone get down!" Erdalla cried before letting loose a massive flare of electricity with Discharge, frying every remaining Pokemon in the Monster House except for the Slaking, who merely shrugged it off, "Focus on the Slaking now!"

"GARR!" The Slaking roared and slammed it's massive fist onto the ground, triggering an Earthquake which brought Zeplin to the ground instantly and crippled Erina and Erdalla, "RARR!"

"I'll take him. Natalie, go and heal the others!" Salazar told the Mawile and she nodded. The Scyther rushed towards the giant ape, blades poised to strike, "Take this!"

Slashing and cutting at Slaking with a wild flurry of Fury Cutter, the ape roared in pain and challenge before raising it's hand to smash Salazar away. However, the Scyther dashed away in time and continued his relentless pursuit. The goal to defeating Slaking was to give it no quarter. As immensely powerful as they were, they are lazy and are slow to attack. Pressuring them with attacks of your own were best.

"Salazar, get out of there. Zeplin, with me!" Erdalla commanded and both her and the Magnemite pulsed with strong electricity "Thunderbolt!"

Two doses of powerful volts crashed onto the Slaking with great power, making the ape wail in agony. As the attack went off, Erina chipped in with her own Egg Bomb, blasting the Slaking onto the ground with a great thud, defeated and dead.

"Thank goodness Reviver Seeds exist. I don't think I would be able to take him out on my own," Salazar smiled with relief after the threat was passed, "But we wasted a lot of time thanks to this"

"Yeah and I can't imagine Team A.C.T struggling like we are. We might already be too late…" Erdalla said bitterly as she bit her lip, "Hopefully they reach the summit before it's too late"

"Hope is all we have to protect them at this point" Erina added sadly, "But we have to press on"

"Yes. Maybe we'll find a shortcut along the way that'll let us catch up. Or we just get lucky with stair placement when we reach a new floor. You never know," Natalie grinned, trying to be optimistic, "So let's not kick the bucket so soon, right?"

"Yeah… we can still make it. We're fine," Erdalla said mostly to herself. The group of five continued on. They were only on the fifth floor of Mt Freeze and Team A.C.T was definitely farther than they were. It was hard to predict where Alfrin and the others were though.

"Erdalla, watch out!" Salazar broke the Pikachu out of her thoughts, but it was too late.

"AAAAAHHHH!" Erdalla screamed as she fell through a deep hole in the snow and landed on… a cushion? In a dungeon?

"Hello! And welcome to the Secret Bazaar!" A pleasant voice greeted Erdalla as she got up, wiping the daze out of her eyes, "I'm your guide, Kirlia!"

"Secret…. Bazaar? What even is-"

"Erdalla! Are you okay?!" The Pikachu heard Natalie's voice cry out from the hole and she perked up, glancing at it.

"Are those your friends?" Kirlia asked and Erdalla nodded.

"Yeah. They are," Erdalla cupped her hands into a funnel before shouting back up the hole, "I'm fine! Come down here! It's okay!"

"Are you sure?!" Salazar's voice rang back.

"There's a cushion to break your fall! You'll be fine!" Erdalla yelled back and one by one, each of her teammates fell into the Secret Bazaar, looking around in curiosity. The room they were in was well lit and designed almost like a cafe. It felt really out of place in a remote mountain like this, "What even is this place…?"

"It's a Secret Bazaar! If lucky explorers find them, they are treated to our wonderful services to assist them!" Kirlia gestured to a stand to her left, "Mime Jr over here can magically treat your bodies of all injuries, infections and even restore the PP of your moves. Frankly, he's wonderful!"

"I need to know this guy's secrets…" Erina muttered and Mime Jr giggled, putting a finger up to his lips.

"Nope. Not sharing my craft. It's what lets me keep my place here! Ha ha!" Mime Jr laughed as Kirlia moved on to the second stand beside it.

"And here is Swalot! If you need extra supplies for the journey again, he's the person to talk to" Kirlia explained and Erdalla cleared her throat, wanting to get this over with quick.

"This is amazing and all, but we're kinda in a hurry right now. Is there anything here that can possibly push us forward in the dungeon?" The Pikachu asked, "Like some sort of magic teleportation? That's a thing, right?"

Kirlia frowned, clearly disappointed, "You can talk to Shedinja back there. He's the master on that sort of thing"

"Thank you. Again, we're sorry we can't stay for long, but we've got a job to do," Erdalla thanked the Kirlia and she smiled lightly.

"Oh, I'm sure we'll see each other again. We operate all over the continent after all!"

"Huh? How do you do that?"

"Let's just say… it's a family secret. Five family secrets," Kirlia gave Erdalla a sly smile, "Now hurry along. You said you were in a rush, right?"

"Right, right. See you around, I guess," Erdalla shrugged and guided her group towards Shedinja in the back, who was hovering over a stand composing of ancient stone gateways. The Shedinja didn't bat an eye when the group approached him. He didn't even look alive.

"Uhh hello? Are you Shedinja?"

"... What do you need of me?" Shedinja's voice sounded quiet, but raspy. It would be barely audible if the room wasn't silent, "I can take you anywhere in the dungeon you would like. Free of charge. Within personal limits"

"How close can you get us to the summit?" Salazar asked and Shedinja tilted his head, pondering for a second.

"I can take you to the rest spot between the mountain base and peaks. That will save you ten more floors," Shedinja responded without emotion, "Shall I transport your group there?"

"Yes please. Thank you," Erina nodded and Shedinja glowed with blue light, erecting a warp circle similar to an Escape Orb underneath our feet, "Whoa…!"

"Farewell and safe travels" Shedinja intoned and with a flicker, we all vanished into black nothingness.

…

"Hi-yah!" Fiona slashed apart a Glalie with her horn, ending the Monster House that barred the trio's way to the final staircase, "Alright, looks like we're in the clear"

"Good. Then there is only one thing left to do: meet Ninetales," I gave my two companions a satisfied smile. Finally, this torturous journey was coming to an end. No more people would have to die over this senseless manhunt and we could finally combat the real threat: the disasters. Erdalla… I hope you're proud. We can finally start fixing the world, "Come on, you two"

We ascended the stone steps and made it onto the summit of Mt Freeze, a gusty peak surrounded by snow, sleet, rocks and icicles. The winds whipped around us in a powerful flurry, chilling all of us to the bone. Even Fiona was chattering.

"W-well… here we are. Where is Ninetales…?" The Absol asked before we heard the shuffling of three Pokemon behind us, "What? Impossible…"

"What's the matter Fion- AAH!" I turned to see Team A.C.T right behind us, looking barely fazed from the conditions around us. How did they get to us without us noticing?! Especially with Tyranitar and Charizard, I thought any of us would have spotted them ages ago. Did Alakazam warp them here or something?, "Team A.C.T, how… how did you get here?!"

"You'd be surprised how well fate works with you when you're working towards a righteous goal. That and a little luck with dungeon exploring," Tyranitar explained as the trio stepped forward towards us, poised to attack. However, Alakazam held up his spoon, stopping Charizard and Tyranitar, "What is it? Alfrin is here and cornered. We can end this"

"Alfrin, I was hoping you could figure out this mystery before we caught up to you. But you ran out of time," Alakazam intoned, freezing me with his voice, "Your fugitive act has dragged us all the way out here, but no more. Your quest ends today"

"Wait Alakazam! We can explain-"

"Alfrin, the role of a rescue team is to bring peace to the populace and the world. We gave you more than enough time to clear your name and here you are, with the disasters still ravaging the world," Tyranitar added, getting himself in the stance to fight, "That means nothing has changed since our encounter at the Silver Trench, besides your lost companions"

"Nothing more needs to be said. We're settling this now," Charizard grinned, "Sorry Alfrin, but I don't know how to show mercy"

"Get them!" Alakazam commanded and his teammates charged towards us while Howard and Fiona did the same. Howard threw his fist at Tyranitar with Mach Punch, but Alakazam teleported in front of his teammate to take the blow, blasting back the Breloom with Psybeam. Fiona tried to capitalize on Alakazam with Faint Attack, but Tyranitar shielded his boss in turn. There was no way to break through their defense.

"Not good enough!" Charizard blew a massive plume of flames with Flamethrower, meeting my Water Pulse in midair. The sheer power of the flames smoked right through the attack and washed me in roaring fire, my skin charring and smoking with every second.

"Alfrin!" Fiona cried as the attack ended and Charizard began to follow up with Fire Blast, "Damn! I can't let you fall now!"

Jumping in front of me, Fiona erected a protective blue shield with Protect, deflecting the incoming Fire Blast. However, it wasn't able to take another attack and Fiona took a lethal wound as Tyranitar's Stone Edge ripped through and ruptured her side, "Aagghh!"

"No… no! Not when we're so close!" Howard cried desperately as he fed me a Oran Berry, healing my immense burns. He began frantically searching through his toolbox, looking for anything that could help, "Come on… anything that works here please!"

"Not so fast" Alakazam rose his spoon, which glowed with pink light and a mental shock slammed into Howard's brain, sending him spiralling towards the wall with a sick crunch. The Breloom slid down the wall with a bloody trail, out cold, "Alfrin, I didn't want to come to this, but you gave us no choice"

"Alakazam… unngh…" I groaned, still hazy from Charizard's Flamethrower, "Gardevoir… she told me…"

"Don't speak Alfrin. Just lie down and let the earth claim you. Rest knowing that the world is safe," Alakazam said softly before he jerked his head sideways, hearing Charizard roar in pain, "What?!"

"Salazar, now!" I heard Erdalla's voice yell from the other side of the summit as a blue orb flew into the fray, exploding in a shockwave of immobilizing magic. A Foe-Stun Orb. I pushed myself up, seeing Salazar, Natalie and everyone else taking Team A.C.T by complete surprise, forcing them on the defensive. I caught Erdalla's eye and she flashed me a brilliant grin.

"Get away from them! Thunderbolt!" Erdalla threw an electrical javelin at Charizard again, alongside Zeplin, paralyzing the poor Pokemon by electric overload. Natalie was dueling Tyranitar in a dangerous dance of death while Salazar fought Alakazam, using his Fury Cutter and Pursuit to give the team leader no quarter. It was a magical sight to see.

"We can't continue like this. We need a distraction," Alakazam muttered before turning to Tyranitar, "Tyranitar, Sand Stream!"

Just as the tyrannical beast was about to stomp it's foot down, an ancient, regal voice resounded throughout the summit, instantly stopping our fight.

"CEASE THIS AT ONCE!" A beautiful cream coloured nine-tailed fox fell from the nearest peak onto our battlefield, glaring at both sides, "I will have no fighting in my abode. Alfrin and his party are my guests. You are not to kill them"

"You're… Ninetales!" Alakazam gasped, "The one from the legend!"

"That's Ninetales?!"

"The legend was true then!"

"Tell me straight up then," Alakazam approached Ninetales carefully, "Who was the human in your legend? No… even before that. Is your legend even a true event? Depending on your reply, I might have no choice but to kill Alfrin and his party"

"I will say it again. You are not to kill my guests," Ninetales growled, his beady red eyes flashing in fury, "But yes, this "legend" is true. Once upon a time, I attempted to lay a curse on a human for touching my sacred tails"

"However, the human's partner Pokemon, a Gardevoir stepped forth and selflessly bore the curse meant for the human," Ninetales continued, "Then, the human did a selfish and cowardly thing. They ran away and abandoned the cursed Gardevoir"

"We know the legend already. Who is the cursed human?" Erdalla asked and Ninetales flashed her a dark look, causing the Pikachu to step back, "...Sorry. I'm just anxious"

"As I was saying, the human eventually became a Pokemon. Transformed into the beast they were, the human lives on," Ninetales continued, "And who is that human might you ask…?"

Slowly, Ninetales turned to me, eyeing me carefully. I felt the air become still around me as Ninetales opened his mouth to speak.

"Alfrin… be at ease"

"... What?"

"Be at ease. It is not you. You are not the cursed human," Ninetales said decisively and I felt a massive weight over my shoulders finally lift. At last, all the doubt and misery was flying away from my body. I wasn't cursed after all. I wasn't the one bringing forth the disasters. But if it wasn't me… who was? Who was really the cursed human? What was causing the disasters? A million new questions ran through my head.

"Really…? Is that true…?" I heard Erdalla's voice tremble behind me and Ninetales nodded, "Oh thank the-"

"Whoa, Erdalla!" I caught the Pikachu as she crashed into me, hugging me tightly as she sniffled over my shoulders, "What are you crying about?"

"It's all over, Alfrin. We're finally not on the run anymore. We can return home," Erdalla stuttered through tears of joy, "Finally… it's…"

"I must add as well that the human turning into a Pokemon and the disasters are not linked together," Ninetales interrupted, "The cause of the natural calamities… exist elsewhere"

"Wait a minute. Then if Alfrin isn't the cursed human from the legend, then how did he turn into a Pokemon?" Salazar asked before staring at me, "Just who are you Alfrin…?"

Before Ninetales could answer, the ground suddenly started shaking around us. Zeplin shrieked in horror, but Natalie caught him before he could spiral out of control.

"An earthquake all the way up here?! What's happening?!" Charizard cried.

"The disasters are worsening. The shifting of the earth… it will awaken a great and powerful beast," Ninetales intoned, not even fazed from the powerful quake, "With the calamities on this scale, Groudon will awaken!"

"Groudon?! Groudon will rise?!" Alakazam cried in shock.

"Groudon… that's the legendary Pokemon that appeared in myths. The one that created the land!" Erdalla realized "THAT is what will awaken from this?!"

"If Groudon were to get loose, chaos would rage across the entire world. By awakening Groudon, his archenemy Kyogre would rise too," Ninetales continued, "The world will be torn asunder by their ancient battle once more. They must be stopped!"

"We'll go. Team Lazulian, head back to Pokemon Square to rest. You've earned it," Alakazam faced his companions and rose his spoon, "Team A.C.T, move out! To Groudon!"

And with that, the trio vanished off the Mt Freeze summit in a flash of pink light. Ninetales gave us one last sagely look before leaping back onto the peak, disappearing in the gray clouds.

"We have to get out of here! Huddle up everyone!" Erdalla cried and pulled an Escape Orb out of her toolbox. We all got together and the Pikachu smashed the crystal ball on the ground. Instantly, a blue circle appeared under our feet and transported us off Mt Freeze, ending our quest for the truth once and for all…

 _Our team:_

 _\- Alfrin, Mudkip - Reunited Lazulian_

 _Level 33_

 _Moves: Water Pulse, Ice Beam, Ancient Power and Mud Shot_

 _\- Erdalla, Pikachu - Renewed Leader_

 _Level 35_

 _Moves: Thunderbolt, Quick Attack, Thunder Punch and Thunder Wave_

 **And another chapter down! Sorry for such the long delay guys. I was caught up with schoolwork, other fanfics and life in general. I promise that the next chapter won't take as long to release, seeing as we're near the end now. If you want to be notified of when a new chapter comes out, favorite and follow. If you want to give constructive criticism, leave a review. Until next time!  
**


	18. Chapter 17: Homecoming

PMD: Fateful Saviors

Chapter 17: Homecoming

The trek back to Pokemon Square was long and arduous, but now that we were all together, it went without a hitch. No legendary Pokemon bothered us and not even the strongest Pokemon posed a threat to Team Lazulian united. We feared bounty hunters still going after our heads, but a quick stop at a local village remedied that.

"Team A.C.T told us the news! I'm so glad you're innocent," A Nidorina grinned. Howard recognized her as the Pokemon who sold him supplies a few days ago, "I believed in your team from the start, you know"

"Huh… so Team A.C.T's going around spreading the news of Ninetales's word. That saves us the effort at least," Erdalla sighed contently, "Hopefully we won't be ambushed out of nowhere when we make it back to Pokemon Square"

"Yeah… hopefully," I frowned, still not at ease even with the criminal mantle lifted off my shoulders. The fact that Groudon and by extension, Kyogre were awakening didn't put me in the best of moods. I doubted even Team A.C.T could handle a Pokemon that shaped the world. Sooner or later, disasters would erupt again and I would likely take the blame for it. Erdalla noticed my discomfort, lifting my head slightly.

"Chin up, Alfrin. I know you're worried about Team A.C.T and the Groudon situation, but they're a strong trio. Stronger than all of us probably," The Pikachu reassured, "And we've taken down legendaries ourselves. Let's trust that A.C.T can handle the situation, alright?"

"We're all pooped from our journey back home anyways. We wouldn't have the power to assist," Salazar added, "So don't worry about it, yeah?"

"Fine," I submitted, although a strange tingling in my stomach told me otherwise. Something was going to happen and we were going to need to go on the move again soon. How soon wasn't clear though.

"Seems like we're on the plain separating Lapis Cave from Mt Thunder," Howard said, checking a map, "We should be back in Pokemon Square by dawn"

I glanced up at the night sky. Thousands of stars lit the cloudless darkness in a shining blaze and the moon shone overhead with it's ethereal light. Frankly, with the state of the world as it is, the night sky seemed oblivious to it. The scene around us was as peaceful as it could be.

"How is everyone doing right now?" Erdalla turned around, addressing the entire team, "We could stop and rest off the night or we can continue going"

"Even with a group our size, it's unwise to travel so late into the night. I say we camp and continue on in the morning," Erina suggested, "We won't be missing much arriving home a day later anyways"

"Anyone else in agreement?"

More than half of our group raised whatever limb they had. Only Zeplin and Fiona denied.

"Alright, it's settled. We'll camp out for the night and resume our journey home tomorrow," Erdalla nodded, secretly glad for the time to rest, "Salazar, Fiona and Zeplin, I'm assigning you three to go hunt for dinner. The rest of us will set up base"

"Understood!"

…

A few hours later, after we finished dinner and everyone was down and asleep, me and Erdalla laid together in bed, not at all subtle about our relationship. We tried flirting with one another earlier, but we both were terrible at it.

"When you arrived at the peak of Mt Freeze to save me and the others, you never looked any more beautifu-" I groaned, cringing at my own words, "You know what? Let's stop. This isn't working"

"And it's clear our relationship isn't built on sweet words," Erdalla agreed, relieved that the session stopped. She was groaning both internally and externally from her and my attempts, "I already know you are grateful for me saving you there"

"Yeah. I don't think I need to express it more than I do," I smiled, "Seriously though, when I saw you flash that radiant smile at me, I didn't think I would be more stunned. You showed up like a guardian angel there"

"Stop it," Erdalla demanded, blush marking her face, "Me and the others were trying to catch up with Team A.C.T as fast as we could. I was marred with scraps, dirt and exhaustion there. Nothing eye catching, if that's what you're looking for"

"It was still a sight for sore eyes. After all, I was…" The pain of losing Erdalla crept back onto me and a tear dropped from my eye. Erdalla gently wiped it off. I realized I never cried at all over Erdalla until now. I bottled up all the pain and resentment, taking it out on Zeplin and the wild Pokemon, "... I was destroyed for a brief spout. Now I understand how you feel"

"Like when you died atop Mt Blaze to Moltres?"

"Yes"

"Alfrin, you have to realize that in our occupation, things like that can happen," The Pikachu said, half scolding and half soothing, "You can't save everyone and fate can turn against you at any moment. All you can do it brave through it and continue moving"

"I figured you'd say that, but still," I embraced Erdalla tightly, "You are my anchor in this world, the person who gave me a home when I first arrived. I can't simply walk away, especially if it concerns you"

"Now who's getting sappy?" Erdalla joked before planting a kiss on my forehead, "I jest. I appreciate your attitude and care for me and all the others. I just wanted to tell you that to lighten the stress. Things like that will happen and you can't let it get to your head so easily"

"I know, Erdalla. I know. Howard said as much"

We sat in silence for a while after that, simply taking joy in each other's presence. I stared into Erdalla's eyes and she stared into mine. All I saw was pure, unadulated adoration and love. It was something not spoken in words, but crafted by months of experience together. The strongest of friendship was built on the field of battle and now it has blossomed into something more.

"... I want something from you, Alfrin"

"What is it?"

The Pikachu leaned forward, whispering something into my ear. When she drew back, I blushed madly, taking in the sudden request. I didn't expect something so brazen from her.

"If you don't want to do it, you're free to refuse. I won't think any worse of you for it," Erdalla said meekly, "And I hope you do the same"

"N-no! I could never think poorly of you, Erdalla. It's just…" I swallowed, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes. It's why I asked," Erdalla said with more force, "Now come here"

What transpired next made the night unforgettable.

…

The next day, our group hit the road once again. We were getting close to Pokemon Square and more and more familiar views opened up to us. It felt strange seeing them after so many days of being on the run, but a sense of home settled into me quickly. This was my home region and nothing was going to change that.

"What are all those Pelipper doing?" Fiona asked, breaking me out of my thoughts. I gazed up to the sky and saw swaths of Pelipper flying around, dropping newspapers out of their bills. Erdalla snatched one out of the air and read it.

"It's just a newsletter detailing our innocence and Team A.C.T going off to fight Groudon," The Pikachu stuffed the newspaper into her toolbox, "Nothing that we haven't heard of"

"Hold on. There's something else here," Howard shook his head, reading his own copy, ''"Gengar and Team Meanies facing accusations of falsely blaming Team Lazulian for the disasters. The trio continue to fend off the populace, stating that the word of Team A.C.T isn't enough proof""

"Team Meanies is still residing in Pokemon Square?! Gengar too?" Erdalla suddenly perked up, eyes ahead in the direction of the square, "That ghost can travel remarkably fast. Last time I saw him, he was tracking me in the Frosty Forest"

"What?! You saw Gengar there?"

"I'll tell you later," Erdalla promised me, "But regardless, let's hurry! We have to stop Gengar from whipping the populace against us again!"

With that, we took off at high speed, blitzing past the Silent Chasm and Sinister Woods. Erdalla in particular seemed to be in an urgent mood, as she augmented her speed with electricity to rush by even faster. Salazar had to shell out a Quick Orb for all of us to even catch up.

"Come on everyone! I see them!" Erdalla skid to a stop at Pokemon Square's entrance, her feet kicking up dust and static. When we arrived, I saw a large gathering of Pokemon around the town square. Gengar, Medicham and Ekans were at the top, arguing vehemently against the townsfolk. We didn't have a moment to lose.

"I've told you blockheads ten times already! Wherever Alfrin goes is where disaster strikes. He cannot remain alive!" Gengar roared in protest, "The forest fire nearby Lapis Cave, the blizzard striking Frosty Forest and now the earthquake rocking Magma Cavern. All of it was because of him!"

"Sure. As if we'd trust you after what Team A.C.T told us," A Lombre replied dryly, "Alfrin never went to Magma Cavern. So why would an earthquake start there, hm?"

"Yeah! Team A.C.T would never lie to us! I believe what Ninetales said to be true!" Caterpie cried, "Team Lazulian is innocent. You're just a bunch of meanies!"

"Meanies?! Why, you sully the good name of Team… Meanies…" Gengar, realizing his mistake, grumbled under his breath, "Why did I pick that name again…?"

"Gengar! Stop right there!" Erdalla marched onto the scene, with the rest of us behind her. Everyone in the square gasped in shock at our return. Medicham and Ekans especially looked frightened, given that we came back with practically a full team's worth of companions.

"Eh? Stop what exactly?" Gengar marched up to meet Erdalla face to face, "And you've got a lot of nerve coming back here after all you've-"

Suddenly, Erdalla struck Gengar in the face with Thunder Punch, making the ghost stagger back in pain.

"Everyone, lend me your ears!" Erdalla declared in her most commanding voice yet, "Gengar and Team Meanies have deceived you! Alfrin is not the cursed human from the legend and thus, not responsible for the disasters. We spoke to the legendary Ninetales ourselves and it has confirmed it!"

"S-so what then?! What's your proof?" Gengar growled defiantly, still massaging his face, "Did you really think crossing the entire continent and back would make you innoc-"

"Gengar, shut up," I told the specter decisively, stepping forward. Facing the crowd of Pokemon in front of me, I saw mixed expressions. Some were fearful and some were doubtful. But a few were hopeful and I focused on that, "We don't have any proof, but Team A.C.T themselves witnessed it and have already told you the news. We all admire Team A.C.T, so we wouldn't believe they would lie to us, right?"

"YEAH!"

"As we speak, Team A.C.T is moving to defeat Groudon and quell the latest disaster. This was a mission given by Ninetales itself!" Erdalla continued, "So I ask this from all of you: we don't have proof that Alfrin isn't the cursed human, but does your trust and belief in us and Team A.C.T tell you otherwise?"

"Ridiculous! Trust and belief is nothing in the face of hard evidence!" Gengar roared, desperate, "Disasters will continue to ravage the planet and nothing will be done to stop them unless Alfrin is killed!"

"Well, too bad for you because I believe them!" Shiftry stepped up, defiant, "If Alfrin was truly who you say he was, fate would have done him in already. They saved me once, so I'll stand by them today!"

"Me too! Team Lazulian saved me from a disaster and I can't go against them now!" Caterpie piped up.

"Me too!" His Metapod friend piped up and a chorus of other Pokemon joined along, pushing Gengar and his gang into a corner.

"WE STAND WITH TEAM LAZULIAN!" They all shouted in unison.

"Gah! You fools are avoiding the problem! The disasters are still destroying the world!" Gengar cried angrily, "All we were trying to do was-"

"Silence. We have nothing to speak to you anymore," Lombre growled, "You rotten pieces of Pokemon garbage stain the streets of Pokemon Square. Get out of here and never come back!"

"YEAH! LEAVE!" Everyone else chanted and Gengar snarled with contempt while Medicham and Ekans squirmed in fear.

"... Fine. All of you go rot in a ditch," Gengar spat before grasping his two teammates, teleporting away in a flash of purple light. With the three of them gone, the Pokemon Square residents turned back to us. Lombre stepped up to us, extending his hand.

"Welcome back to Pokemon Square, Alfrin and Erdalla. On behalf of the square, we're sorry for chasing you out," Lombre apologized, "I think I can speak for everyone in that we were desperate on that fateful day. We had nothing to source the disasters on until Gengar arrived"

"I understand. I'm just glad it's all sorted out now," I smiled wanly as I grasped Lombre's hand and shook it, "What matters now is finding the true source of the disasters. Ninetales cleared my name, but we still know nothing beyond that"

"We as a society will devote all our energy to finding the truth. It's what we owe your team after dragging you through such an ordeal," Lombre promised, "For now, get some rest. I'm sure you're all exhausted"

"We burned their house down though. Where can they all live?" Snubbull asked, wincing at the memory.

"We have camping supplies. We can use those until we restore our base," Erdalla assured, tapping her toolbox, "That said, where can we find a builder around here? I don't recall one living her in the square"

"I heard a rumor that a rogue trio of Mankey are living out in Uproar Forest," Shiftry offered, "Apparently they're scions to a once-renowned steelworker. Try seeking them out"

"A "rogue" trio of Mankey?"

"Yeah… about that. Lately these Mankey have been harassing explorers and rescue teams prowling around the region," Lombre bit his lip, "They're nimble, so nobody are able to catch them"

"I wouldn't trust them with a bag of Poke, much less our home base," Salazar cautioned, "Let's try finding someone else"

"I get what you mean, but them being the sons of an esteemed steelworker intrigues me. They might be able to put some furnishings on the base I wasn't able to," Erdalla stroked her chin thoughtfully, "I say we give them a shot at least. Maybe we can convince them to help us"

"When you say harass, do they steal stuff too?" I asked Lombre and Shiftry as the rest of the townsfolk dispersed, "If so, what do they usually take?"

"... Nuts. The Mankey trio love chestnuts," Shiftry recalled, "Try gathering some of those and you can either bribe or lure the Mankeys out"

"Chestnuts… you don't find a whole lot of those easily," Erdalla frowned, "Guess we'll have to scour Sinister Woods and Tiny Woods for that"

"BZZT! IF THE MANKEYS LIKE CHESTNUTS SO MUCH, I BET THEY'RE HOARDING SOME IN THEIR HOME FOREST. BZZT!" Zeplin piped up, "SEARCHING AROUND UPROAR FOREST FOR THEM WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA. BZZT!"

"We'll go after them soon. First, let's set up our base again," Erdalla turned to our team, "We have a lot of things to do to get settled back in the square"

We spent the rest of the day setting up our camp, along with organizing the items and money we picked up on our journey in exile. While the quest was arduous, I couldn't lie in that it gave us a great bounty in experience, money and loot. We had a dozen new TMs now, food items, utility orbs, seeds and numerous other treasures that would make a dungeon explorer drool.

"This one would suit you well," Erdalla handed me a light blue TM case. The word Ice Beam was coded over it, "Given that you control water already, freezing it into a beam shouldn't be too tough. Give it a try"

I accepted the Ice Beam TM, opening the case gently. I still didn't understand how they worked and I doubt I would ever in my lifetime. Grasping the disc in my hand, I stared into it until a spark of light blue light danced off it and vanished onto my body. In an instant, I knew how to execute Ice Beam like Fiona did.

"Good. Looks like it went off successfully," Erdalla took the now-dull TM out of my hands, "That should give you some more coverage on the battlefield"

I frowned, examining myself carefully. Naturally, I had a number of Water and Ground type moves, but now I have access to Rock and Ice ones. It felt a little too much for a little Mudkip like me.

"Water types generally have well-rounded coverage with their moves. You're one of the lucky ones, thanks to your second type," Erdalla told me, "I would be proud of that. Most of the team can't boast that strength aside from Howard"

"Still, it feels ridiculous that a Mudkip can do so much," I smiled lightly.

"Never judge a Pokemon by its size. We're truly miraculous creatures," Erdalla replied sagely, "Anyways, that completes inventory management. Let's get back to camp and see what's cooking for dinner"

"Right behind you!"

…

That night, I awoke in the kaleidoscope dream-like area again, where I always met Gardevoir. I stood, waiting and patient until the beautiful Pokemon appeared before me again.

"Gardevoir. We met again," I greeted her, "Thank you so much for guiding us up Mt Freeze. I doubt we would of made the journey without you"

"Oh, don't act like it was entirely me. You had the power to make the climb. You just needed a bit of a push forward," Gardevoir laughed, "So Alfrin, what would you like to talk about?"

"... Excuse me?"

"What would you like to talk about? Chat with me for a while," Gardevoir repeated casually, "We don't get time to talk very often, you know"

"Yes and that's why every time you contact me in a dream, you do so with purpose," I stated, "What are you here for, Gardevoir? Do you need to warn me of something?"

"Not at all. At the moment, you can relax," Gardevoir said serenely, "I came just to chat. See if you were curious about anything"

"Well in that case…" I frowned, "Why do you appear in my dreams?"

"I became an agent of spirits after being cursed by Ninetales. It is my duty to watch over you," Gardevoir replied, "In fact, I might of been the one who put you here in the first place"

"... What?"

"But pay that remark no mind, Alfrin. You still have a role to play here in this world," Gardevoir brushed it off easily. I groaned, feeling a bit irritated. I didn't like being played like a pawn, "In any case, I obtained this formless form thanks to my trainer, who initiated Ninetales's curse in the first place"

"Your trainer? Like the human in the legend?" I inquired.

"Indeed. Oh how terrible a person they were," Despite that, Gardevoir smiled fondly, "Mean, conniving, prideful and a daredevil. In simple terms, they weren't a good soul. Truly"

"Why do you smile then?"

"Because I don't hate them. They may have been a terrible soul, but I never harbored hatred," Gardevoir answered, "I can't understand this feeling myself, but perhaps there is one reason"

"What is that?"

"In this world, there is no one truly good or truly evil. Everyone exists in a shade of grey morality," Gardevoir explained sagely, "My trainer was the same. Beneath all of their bad were good qualities. They were determined to a fault, they were brave and dared to do what others were too scared for. I admire qualities like that"

"And those manifested into the urge to protect them when the time came?"

"Yes. I protected my trainer with my entire being when Ninetales's curse was invoked," Gardevoir nodded, "As Gardevoirs, we have the urge to protect our masters when they are in danger. It's simply our role as Pokemon"

"Our role…" I repeated and Gardevoir smiled.

"Yes. All beings in this world have a role. They all serve a purpose, one way or another," Gardevoir said, "Just as my role is to watch and guide you, you have your certain role too. It's why you became a Pokemon after all"

"Tell me then. Why did I become a Pokemon? What is my role here in this world?" I demanded, "I didn't get whisked away from my human life simply to aid Erdalla, right?"

"No, no. It's much more grand than that," Gardevoir laughed, "You're soon coming to the crux of that role. You'll know soon enough"

"Don't leave me in the dark like that! Give me a straight answer at least!" I cried, but suddenly, the dream landscape shook like an earthquake was rocking the world around us. With that, Gardevoir's form flickered and disappeared, "Gardevoir!"

When the shaking stopped, I woke up in cold sweat on my bed. Erdalla was still blissfully sleeping beside me. It was a miracle she wasn't affected by the quake because I knew it happened in real life. Zeplin buzzing in a panic nearby was an indication of that.

"Oh calm down, you! It was just a minor shock!" I heard Natalie scold as she wrangled Zeplin down, "Relax!"

While the two of them struggled, I sank back down onto my bed, trying to remember my conversation with Gardevoir. I came to this world as a Pokemon to fulfill a certain role and that role was soon coming to its climax. Yet still, I had no idea what that role was. Gardevoir said it was more grand than simply aiding Erdalla, but what was it? Save the world from the disasters?

"Focus on the present, Alfrin. Soon you'll have all your answers," I told myself as I closed my eyes once again, "Quake overnight… Groudon rising… and…"

Before I knew it, I was down and asleep again, consumed by the blissful darkness of slumber.

 _Our team:_

 _\- Alfrin, Mudkip - Disaster Survivor_

 _Level 34_

 _Moves: Water Pulse, Ancient Power, Mud Shot and Ice Beam_

 _\- Erdalla, Pikachu - Inspiring Leader_

 _Level 35_

 _Moves: Thunder Punch, Thunderbolt, Quick Attack and Thunder Wave_

 **Short chapter this time around, seeing as no major battles or dungeons were taking place and it's just showing Team Lazulian returning home to Pokemon Square. Coming up next is Uproar Forest, where the team works to see their home base restored from the ashes. If you want to be notified of when a new chapter comes out, favorite and follow. If you want to give constructive criticism, leave a review. Until next time!  
**


	19. Chapter 18: Three Troublemakers

PMD: Fateful Saviors

Chapter 18: Three Troublemakers

The next day, I awoke to sunlight beaming through the roof of mine and Erdalla's tent. It was so strange waking up feeling peaceful and rested, now that we weren't on the run. When we were in exile, every morning felt heavier than the last. The burden of stress and sin weighed on my shoulders with every passing day, making the light of dawn fade in value. Now, I took in it's shine for all it was worth.

"Good morning, Alfrin," Erdalla yawned, gazing at me with a warm smile. Ever since me and her "got together", I found a brand new side to the Pikachu. On the outside, she was stoic, commanding, proud and determined, but in private, she was far more lenient on letting her emotions run free. It was a refreshing sight, "Had a good rest last night?"

"Far better than the last few weeks," I admitted, "It's not our old beds or house, but it's still our hometown. And that is relieving enough"

"I agree. Nothing like coming back to your roots after a month of being in exile," Erdalla nodded, "Speaking of old routine, let's see if there are any rescue jobs for us"

"The good old billboard by the end of the cape," I smiled and the two of us left our abode, travelling through Pokemon Square to reach Pelipper's Post Office. The square's residents greeted us like we were old buddies, as if nothing has happened ever since the fateful day we returned from the Great Canyon. While other people might have been infuriated, I was just glad things were back to normal.

"Uh… Um…" A pair of two Pokemon stopped us by the edge of the square. The two of them were blue bag-like Pokemon, with one of them being taller than the other, "... I am Wynaut and this is-"

"Wobbuffet!"

"Pleased to meet you two. What do you need us for?" Erdalla asked politely.

"We have a notice on the bulletin board outside of Pelipper's Office," Wynaut explained, "Please look at it for me"

"Wobbuffet!" The Wobbuffet cried in tandem, as if to emphasize the point.

"Please help me. I have to go now," Wynaut finished nonchalantly and the two of them walked off, leaving both of us visibly confused.

"What was that about?" I asked Erdalla, "Do those two live here?"

"As far as I know, they don't. I've never seen them around," Erdalla chewed her lip, "Ah well, we were on our way to the bulletin board anyways. Might as well see what their request is"

We made our way to the bulletin board by the end of the cape. The fresh sea winds felt good after dealing with the intense heat of Mt Blaze and the cold Mt Freeze. It was summer time here in the square, but not hot enough to be uncomfortable. I let Erdalla find Wynaut's request while I soaked in the good atmosphere.

"Enjoying the weather, are you?" Erdalla took in a deep breath, gazing out to the endless sea beyond the cape and she brought up a sheet of paper, "Anyways, here is Wynaut's request"

""Please punish bad Mankey's gang"," I repeated, looking at the paper, "Is this a joke? What did the Mankey even do?"

"Well, Shiftry mentioned yesterday that the Mankeys regularly rob people in the region. And look here, they're even asking us to go to Uproar Forest," Erdalla pointed to the bottom of the sheet, "How convenient. We needed to visit them sometime anyways"

"And what better time than now, since we have a job for it?" Me and Erdalla both nodded as the Pikachu rolled up the sheet, "Let's grab our team and sally forth then"

"We should bring only two of our teammates to accompany us. We wouldn't want to scare the Mankeys before we talk with them," Erdalla advised before stroking her chin thoughtfully, "Uproar Forest is probably infested with Grass and Bug type Pokemon so…"

"Salazar and Natalie would be good teammates to bring," I decided, "Everyone else either doesn't deal with bugs well or get beaten by Mankey. Those two are our best options"

"Sounds good. Let's move then"

Grabbing Natalie and Salazar from base camp, we delegated jobs to the others before setting off to Uproar Forest in the northwest, just a little beyond Mt Steel. Unfortunately, we didn't have Dugtrio's tunnel this time to get us there easily, so we had to hike it on foot. Still, it gave us time to admire the scenery.

"Hey Erdalla, I forgot to mention something this morning," I said, pulling the Pikachu aside. Salazar and Natalie eyed us with curiosity before returning to their own conversation, "Gardevoir sent me another dream message last night"

"Oh really? What did she say?"

"Nothing very important. She just wanted to chat with me," I replied, "But she mentioned that I was soon reaching the climax of my role as a Pokemon here. That and I was going to learn why I was transformed into a Pokemon in the first place"

Erdalla didn't say anything, so I continued.

"She also said that my role here was much more grand than simply helping you kickstart the rescue team. I was transformed into a Pokemon and brought here for a big reason," I explained, "Do you… have any theories on it?"

"Well, I wouldn't know. It sounds like Gardevoir didn't provide enough clues to form conclusions on," Erdalla shook her head, "I'd just wait it out and let destiny take its course if I were you"

"Do you think my role here is to save the world from the disasters?"

"If you were, you would already be directed to go to help Team A.C.T at Magma Cavern and deal with Groudon," The Pikachu chewed her lip, "Why are you asking me anyways?"

"I don't know. I just… need someone to talk this over with. I don't like thinking I'm a pawn in someone else's plan," I replied bitterly, "I hate having big expectations thrown onto me, you know? So the fact that my role here as a Pokemon is supposed to be bigger than I know, it puts me on edge"

"Oh Alfrin, you have to learn to follow your own advice. Your role here is not carried entirely by yourself," Erdalla rubbed the top of my head affectionately, "We're all here alongside you. Whatever fate throws at us, we'll face it together. That's what you taught me, right?"

"Yeah, that's right. As a rescue team and as Pokemon, our tasks are never done alone. Always with the support of our team," I nodded in agreement, "Thanks for reminding me, Erdalla"

"Anytime. I'm sure whatever curveballs this world throws at you, it'll come naturally, so don't stress out over it. No use in losing sleep over things we can't control," Erdalla smiled, letting go of my head. The Pikachu then glanced ahead as we were within reach of Uproar Forest, "Looks like we're here"

"Keep your hands on your Poke and toolboxes. These Mankey sound to be crafty crooks," Salazar advised, sharpening his bladed arms on each other. Natalie instinctively put a hand on her own toolbox, checking to make sure the lid was nailed shut.

"I doubt the dungeon will be a very challenging one, so we brought minimal supplies," Erdalla tapped her own toolbox, "Only a handful of Oran Berries, Apples, Reviver Seeds, utility orbs and offensive seeds. Barely a decent trove for any thief"

"And we have no need for money here, so our pockets are empty," I added before staring ahead into the deep forest, "Let's get a move on, everyone! Find those Mankey!"

We entered the Uproar Forest, which I still didn't understand where it got it's name from. For all intents and purposes, it was a completely normal forest. Practically nothing noteworthy was here, wild Pokemon or otherwise. Just a usual blend of Venonat, Seedot, Roselia and Nuzleaf and Aipom sometimes around.

"Bringing us two here feels unnecessary. This is too easy," Natalie frowned as we trekked peacefully through the seventh floor. The Pokemon here were docile and didn't even bother initiating attacks on us. Either they were too scared of us to fight or just didn't want to bother. The Roselia didn't even fire off any dangerous spores to harry us.

"No signs of the Mankey either. And our supplies look to be intact," Erdalla double checked her toolbox again, "So it doesn't seem like they tried to rob us yet"

"Eh, I'm fine with this being an easy job. Need to get back into the routine of rescue jobs anyways," I shrugged, reaching for something that was on the ground, "Besides, this forest is ridden with tons of good stuff. Food items, seeds and other stuff are aplenty"

"This'll certainly be useful, but you have to wonder if these are all the stuff the Mankey stole…" Erdalla frowned, picking up a Shock Wave TM off the ground, "I'm afraid we're going to invoke their ire one way or another"

"Hey, what's this?" Natalie asked as she picked up some sort of brown nut off the ground, "I've never seen something like this before. What is it?"

"Oh, I forgot you lived in caves your whole life," Erdalla stifled a laugh before pointing to the nut in the Mawile's hand, "That's a chestnut. Ordinarily, it has a spiky shell around it, but it looks like someone peeled it off. I've never tried it myself, but apparently it's pretty good"

"Ah. It doesn't look that appetizing, but…" Natalie frowned before putting the chestnut to her lips, "Wouldn't hurt to give it a try"

"Wait, didn't Shiftry say something about Mankeys loving chestnu-"

"WRRREEEEE!"

"AAH!" Natalie yelped as a peach coloured blur came out of nowhere, snatching the chestnut out of the Mawile's hand and eating it in one gulp. Erdalla blasted it with lightning, but it got away as fast as it appeared. Natalie gasped, still trying to get over what just happened, "What the-"

"That was a Mankey!" Erdalla realized, "After him!"

"And gather any chestnuts you find along the way!" I commanded before the four of us ran off after the Mankey, who was slowing down to a more manageable speed. Luckily for us, deeper in the forest housed more chestnuts and as long as we stored them away in our toolboxes fast, the Mankey didn't dare attack us.

"Hey! Stop!" Erdalla cried as we chased the Mankey through more floors of the dungeon, until it reached a dead end, "Hah! Nowhere to run now!"

"Rrrrr, do you want to see how I'm like when I'm mad, girlie?! You better back off before my brothers arrive!" The Mankey spat, growing red hot in the face by the second, "I'm warning ya to go away before you regret it!"

"Fat chance. We're here to put a stop to your pillaging of this region," I shot back, "So why don't you get your brothers here so we can take you all out in one swoop?"

"Grrr, you asked for it!" The Mankey let out a loud war howl that echoed throughout the entire forest. Within seconds, two other Mankeys dropped down from the trees around us, standing alongside the first one, "Those smug looks are making me madder by the second. I can't control myself!"

"Me neither, brother. Let's get them!"

"Yeah! It's frenzy time!" The last Mankey screeched and all three of them charged us at once, swinging like wild banshees. Salazar and Natalie flew in front of us to counterattack while me and Erdalla hung behind, throwing out ranged attacks to the wild monkeys. Salazar quickly slashed twice at one with Aerial Ace, throwing it backwards. The Mankey countered with a flurry of Karate Chops, but the Scyther evaded it readily.

"Hah!" Natalie was on the more cautious side, wary of the Mankey's rapid Fighting type onslaught. She darted in and out of attacks skillfully, retaliating with Iron Head to stagger the Mankeys and leave them open for me and Erdalla to strike. Luckily for her, the Mankeys weren't exactly refined fighters and their attacks were easy to dodge. Otherwise, she would have been done a long time ago, "Take this!"

The Mawile lunged, puncturing a Mankey hard with Bite before my Water Pulse knocked it out cold. Erdalla defeated another one with a decisive Thunderbolt before Salazar finished off the third with another Aerial Ace. Just three troublemaker monkeys. Nothing much to expect from them.

"Wroahh… we'll be back!" The lead Mankey picked itself off the ground, rousing his two brothers, "You'll learn not to mess with us!"

"Wait!" Erdalla cried, but the three Mankeys already leapt off in a hasty retreat. So much for asking them to rebuild our base.

"Well, at least they won't be terrorizing explorers anymore, now that we gave them a thorough beating," I frowned, looking around the clearing we were in, "But none of their stolen stuff is here"

"It must be scattered throughout the forest, seeing as we found so much food and seeds," Salazar deduced, "Doesn't look like the Mankey stole anything valuable"

"Yeah. This TM is probably the best they took. No need to pursue them then," Erdalla threw down a dull Shock Wave disc, "Although I doubt we can persuade them to rebuild our base after we beat them. We'll need to find another way to restore it"

"I'm sure someone out there is willing to do it," Natalie assured, "For now, let's make our way back home"

"Yes. Let's do that," Erdalla pulled out an Escape Orb, "Huddle up everyone"

Creating an azure blue circle beneath us, the Escape Orb warped us out of the forgettable Uproar Forest, where we set off back to Pokemon Square.

…

"Thank you all for your help, really. Uproar Forest should be a fine place to live in now," Wynaut smiled in gratitude.

"Wobbuffet!" Wobbuffet cried in agreement.

"Wait, you guys live in Uproar Forest?" Salazar inquired, "But that place is infested with Bug type Pokemon. Isn't that unsafe?"

"Oh no, Uproar Forest used to be filled with us Wynaut and Wobbuffet before the Mankeys rolled in. They chased us out," Wynaut replied easily, "Now that they're gone, the Wynauts and Wobbuffet can repopulate the forest again. Thank you again, for that"

"Err… alright. Whatever you say," Natalie frowned, "You're… welcome?"

"This is our thanks," Wynaut walked up to Erdalla, presenting her a magnificent, awe-inspiring and grand reward that would transcend all of history. It was a… chestnut. A peeled chestnut.

"This is…?"

"A peeled chestnut. Are you not happy with it?" Wynaut asked, "I'm sorry. We don't have any money on us"

"Wobbuffet!"

"So we can only give a peeled chestnut as a reward. I hope you're okay with it," Wynaut said nonchalantly and I saw Erdalla cringe, struggling to sigh with the chestnut in her hand.

"No, no… we're okay with this," Erdalla forced out, "Peeled chestnuts are delicious. I'm sure one of us will enjoy it…"

"All that effort for a peeled chestnut…" I heard Salazar mutter behind me.

"What a waste of time…" Natalie said in unison.

"We'll be going now. Thanks again," Wynaut nodded and the two odd Pokemon walked off. Before we could decide who gets the chestnut, we heard a familiar voice cry behind us.

"Hey you!"

We turned and saw the three Mankeys we beat up a few hours ago. They looked scarily healed for Pokemon we trashed the first time.

"Ah phooey. They're here again," Erdalla's hands sparked with electricity, ready to fight, "Did you come to take revenge on us?"

"Yeah! This time, we're not going to lose! We'll pulverize ya!" One Mankey cried, shaking his fists angrily, "You'll learn not to mess with us!"

"Wreehhh! Crush them!" Another Mankey yelled and the three of them lunged at us. Before we could fire a counterattack however, they stopped dead in their tracks, "W-whoa!"

"Look at that!" One Mankey pointed at the peeled chestnut in Erdalla's hands, "That girl h-has a…"

"A peeled chestnut!" Another Mankey cried excitedly, "That's…"

The three Mankeys then huddled together, talking in hushed tones. The four of us could only watch in disbelief. Erdalla looked down at the peeled chestnut in her hand. She knew the Mankeys loved these things, but they would stop their revenge for it? It didn't seem right.

"Uhm… listen here," The Mankeys broke away, turning towards us, "You got a thing we want and uhh…"

"That peeled chestnut you have. Can we uhh… have it?" The second Mankey asked meekly, "We love peeled chestnuts"

"We love them so much that we can't imagine life without them," The third Mankey added, "So can we please have yours? We'll never bother you again!"

"Why can't you just get them yourselves?" Erdalla asked.

"You know that spiky shell around the chestnut?" The first Mankey asked, "Trying to peel that off hurts and it makes us angry. Soo…"

"Please give us the peeled chestnut! We'll do anything!" The second Mankey begged and Erdalla frowned, staring at the chestnut in her hand.

"Anything…?"

"Anything!" The three Mankeys replied in unison and a wide grin spread across the Pikachu's face. I knew exactly what she was thinking of. Looks like our base was going to get rebuilt after all.

"Alright, you have a deal. I know what you can do for this chestnut," Erdalla gestured to the empty plot of land behind her. The ashes of our former home still lingered on the ground and only the cobblestone yard still remained, "Are you good with physical labor?"

"Physical labor? As in muscle work?" The first Mankey asked, "Yeah, we're good with that"

"We have muscles…" The second Mankey continued.

"... But we don't like work," The third Mankey finished, "But if it's for the chestnut…"

"We'll get you as many chestnuts as you like as long as you finish this project," Erdalla promised, "I want a base built from top to bottom on this plot of land. I'll provide you with the floor plan and materials, so all you'll need is to build it. That sound good?"

"All the peeled chestnuts we could want…" The Mankey's mouth watered at the thought, "Okay, we'll do it! We'll even help you cart the materials over to get it built! Double-quick!"

"I'll help too!" Caterpie itched towards us. He must of been listening in out of view, "I'll spin silk together to glue blocks up"

"And I'll help alongside the Mankey to get things together," Howard arrived alongside Fiona, "Leave it to us and we'll be done before you know it"

"Thank you everyone. Give me some time to draw up a floor plan before we get started," Erdalla commanded, "For now, go around and gather all the materials you can get. Wood, stone, straw and whatever else. Let's do this!"

"YEAH!"

And so, everyone in Team Lazulian worked together on creating our new team base from the ground up. The three Mankeys were a great boon, as they possessed a natural talent for construction and woodworking just like the rumors say. They occasionally had to be whipped back into shape however…

"This work is so boring! And we're hungry too!" The Mankeys cried one day, making everyone on the worksite groan, "We don't feel like doing this anymore"

"Come on, you three. There's only a little bit more to go. You'll be free to leave soon," Erdalla replied patiently, giving the three Mankeys a peeled chestnut. We were lucky that so many were scattered around Uproar Forest. Otherwise the Mankey would be gone a long time ago. After the Mankey finished their chestnuts, they stood upright, ready to work again.

"Alright, you layabouts! Get it together!" One Mankey rallied, "Chop, chop!"

"Why don't you quit lounging around yourself?! Get moving!" Another Mankey replied angrily and the three got set to work again. With their aid, the base was close to completion with only one more day.

"Aannnddd… done!" The next day, Howard finished refining the last window on our base, jumping down from the balcony in triumph to marvel in the structure alongside us. Our new base was a two story cabana with multiple balconies overlooking the square and the sea, numerous rooms inside to accommodate our team members, a study for Erdalla, a meeting area, a living room, a kitchen and even a storage room underground. It was probably the most luxurious and furnished house in all of Pokemon Square.

"It's… beautiful…" Natalie sniffled, marvelling in the astronomical beauty, "I've never seen anything so splendid before"

"Neither did I. And it was the work of all of us together," Erdalla smiled, holding her face to hold back the tears, "Everyone, this is our new home. Team Lazulian's rescue team base!"

"Thank you all for helping us create this. I can't… I can't repay all of you enough," I said as I turned to Caterpie and the Mankeys, "And for you Mankeys, here is your reward"

I opened my toolbox, showing a whole trove worth of peeled chestnuts. Instantly, the Mankeys's mouth drooled at the sight of it.

"I had someone in our team gather a bunch of chestnuts and peel them earlier. We figured that since we can't give you peeled chestnuts anymore, this should suffice for a while," I let the chestnuts spill onto the ground and the Mankeys greedily scooped all of them up, "Enjoy. And thanks again"

"It sucks you can't give us peeled chestnuts anymore, but…" The Mankey were already gobbling down nuts by the dozen, "We're happy you gave us this many. Thanks!"

"Look here, you three. If you want to peel your own chestnut, just take something like a rock and…" Erdalla produced an unpeeled chestnut and a pebble from her toolbox. Striking the nut's shell lightly, it cracked cleanly open, "Do that. Now you can have your own peeled chestnuts whenever you'd like"

"Ooh, ooh! Thank you!" The Mankey scooped up the last chestnut eagerly before setting off back home, "We won't forget you. Bye, bye!"

"See you around!" We waved to the Mankey trio. They proved to be a wild sort of support, but it was appreciated regardless. It was thanks to their efforts that the base was built and everyone needs a little motivation regardless. Whether that was food or emotional support, everyone needs a boost now and then. So I couldn't fault them for their tardiness at times. What matters is that the base got built and they won't be bothering anyone again. Hopefully.

"Well everyone, fantastic work today. You're all free to do whatever you'd like for the rest of the day," Erdalla declared to the rest of the team, "You've earned it. Tomorrow, a new dawn awakens for Team Lazulian!"

Everyone cheered and the day ended on a high note. The glory of Team Lazulian was restored and ready to take on the world once again. Appropriate timing as on the marrow, the cogs of fate will turn once again, casting a shadow over the world of Pokemon. A shadow shaped like a certain Groudon...

 _Our team:_

 _\- Alfrin, Mudkip - Destined Harbinger_

 _Level 35_

 _Moves: Water Pulse, Ice Beam, Mud Shot and Ancient Power_

 _\- Erdalla, Pikachu - Lazulian Commander_

 _Level 37_

 _Moves: Thunderbolt, Shock Wave, Thunder Punch and Thunder Wave_

 **And with that, another semi-short chapter out of the way, covering the small arc between the Mankey trio and the rescue team reconstruction. In the next chapter, the plot will get its wheels rolling again as Team Lazulian set off to Magma Cavern to investigate the mysterious absence of Team A.C.T and Groudon's impending rise. If you want to be notified when a new chapter comes out, favorite and follow. If you want to leave constructive criticism, leave a review. Until next time!  
**


	20. Chapter 19: Calamity's Premonition

PMD: Fateful Saviors

Chapter 19: Calamity's Premonition

The next morning, I awoke to the sound of rain pounding the roof of our base with the occasional roar of thunder. I was glad we had a proper home to live in since our tents wouldn't last long against a storm of this magnitude.

"Relaxing, isn't it? I always loved listening to thunderstorms," Erdalla said. I turned and saw her gazing out of the window, entranced, "Maybe it's because I'm a Pikachu, but storms always soothe me. They let me sleep better at night"

"No, no, I get you," I shook my head as I went to join Erdalla by the window, "The constant sound of rain lulls me to sleep too"

"Mm," The Pikachu rubbed my head affectionately before returning to her view out the window. The downpour stained the cobblestone streets of Pokemon Square and looked to shut down business for the day, but Pokemon were still wandering about like usual. Storefronts simply propped up roofs while rescuers endured the storm themselves. Some Grass and Water type Pokemon were even enjoying it, "They say Groudon, the legendary Pokemon who shaped the land, has a counterpart"

"Kyogre, right? Ninetales mentioned it," I recalled the conversation back on Mt Freeze, "That's the one that created the seas wrapping around the world. But… why are you bringing it up?"

"Because we haven't had a downpour this thick in the square for a while," Erdalla thrust her hand outside the window, letting cool water run down her hands, "It makes me wonder how Team A.C.T is faring with the Groudon situation. Kyogre might be on the rise too thanks to it"

"I'm sure they're fine. After all, this is Team A.C.T we're talking about. The strongest team in the square," I reminded the Pikachu, "In fact, I'm sure they're just about wrapping up the situation now and are coming home"

"I surely hope so. Thanks for the optimism," Erdalla sighed with content as thunder shook the base around us. I could hear a yelp of surprise from several of our companions nearby, "Anyways, let's get down to the square and find some work. Howard and Erina should have breakfast ready once we're back"

"I never thought Howard of all people would be good at cooking honestly…"

"I know right? Erina must've taught him or something," Erdalla replied with a smile as we pushed open the door and headed out to the square. Before we could even leave our courtyard however, Lombre stopped us.

"We need you two at the square. Everyone's gathering there already," Lombre reported.

"We were just about to get there. What's the problem?" Erdalla asked, watching the rainwater collect on Lombre's head. It continuously sloshed off his cap, but it didn't faze him.

"I don't know actually. Shiftry's just calling everyone out. He said he had an announcement to make," Lombre replied, "He's gathering a ton of rescue teams up, so it must be important"

"Hm… alright. Let's see what's up then," Erdalla decided and we moved to the square's center, where tons of Pokemon were gathered with Shiftry at it's head. I spotted many elite Pokemon like Meganium, Rhydon, Blastoise, Golem, Raichu, Octillery and more.

"The situation really must be dire. There are renowned rescue team leaders from all over the continent here," Lombre marvelled, "Wonder what Shiftry needs from all of them…?"

"Ahem! Can I have everyone's attention here?" Shiftry called. Everyone ceased their small talk and paid attention to him, "I apologize in advance for dragging you all out here in this downpour but… I have an important announcement to make"

"Well, don't just stand there! Get on with it!" Rhydon cried. His poor Golbat companion was hovering over the rhino to protect him from the rain.

"Right, right. It isn't exactly my style to get up in front of everyone but…" Shiftry cleared his throat, "There's big trouble brewing! Team A.C.T went to Magma Cavern two days ago to deal with Groudon, but haven't returned yet!"

Uneasy murmurings rang through the crowd. With Alakazam's teleportation, it definitely wasn't the return trip that was holding the team back. But a team like A.C.T wouldn't take two days to defeat Groudon, right?

"So what do you want us to do?" Meganium piped up.

"What I'm saying is that we should assemble a team to go look for them!" Shiftry declared, "We need a squad to head into Magma Cavern and find out what happened to Alakazam and his team!"

The crowd went wild with anxiety again. Some were arguing about their chances against Groudon if Team A.C.T couldn't defeat it. Others vehemently denied going due to Magma Cavern itself.

"There's magma flowing everywhere there! I'd burn up if I go anywhere near it!" One Pokemon cried.

"We can't beat Groudon in a fair fight! He shaped the world!" Another proclaimed.

"If Team A.C.T can't handle it, what can we do?!"

"Quiet, everyone! Quiet, please!" Shiftry yelled, silencing everyone, "I'm not asking you to go and fight Groudon. That would be suicide"

"He's merely asking you to go and check up on Team A.C.T," Erdalla piped up from the back, "So by that logic, we should assemble a team that's good for Magma Cavern"

"Yes, yes, what the Pikachu said," Shiftry nodded in agreement, "Magma Cavern is not a dungeon that anyone can go to. That's why I gathered so many Pokemon here today. We need a special team of the best of the best. The ones who can handle the heat"

The crowd again turned to one another, discussing in hushed voices.

"You go. You're decent against Fire types, right?"

"Are you joking? I'm just a little Phanpy. I can't do anything against those kinds of Pokemon!"

"Who will step forward?! Who among us will be the heroes to take on the challenges underground?!" Shiftry cried, stirring the crowd up. Beside me, Erdalla poked my head.

"Say Alfrin, this is a good opportunity. Let's go," The Pikachu suggested before bending down to my ear, "Perhaps this is what Gardevoir meant by your role's climax"

"I wouldn't bother, you two," Lombre interrupted.

"Why not?" Erdalla asked meekly.

"Look around you. There are plenty of better Pokemon for the job," Lombre gestured to Blastoise, Golem, Rhydon and Octillery in particular, "I recognize that you've gotten a lot tougher in the last few months, but there are always stronger ones out there. Sit this one out for the time being, yeah?"

Before Erdalla could protest, Shiftry spoke up again.

"Will no one step forward?!"

"I'll go!" One Pokemon declared and stepped up beside Shiftry, causing the crowd to erupt in applause. It was Blastoise.

"That's Team Hydro's roughneck Blastoise! He's perfect for this!" One Pokemon cried.

"THE Blastoise?! I heard his water cannons can punch through steel!" Another boasted, "Magma Cavern won't know what hit them!"

"Groudon is definitely a Ground type. I'm a Water type," Blastoise said flatly, "It's a simple type advantage. I'll crush him with my Hydro Pump"

"I'll join the party too," Another Pokemon called, joining the cast alongside Blastoise. It was Octillery.

"Whoa-ho! That's Team Constrictor's leader, Octillery. Another good pick!" One Pokemon piped up.

"She's known for consistent and clingy attacks. She ensnares her foes with her tentacles and viciously sprays them with water," Another said, "She'll be a nasty foe to face in any battle"

"Darlings, when I hear of a tough Pokemon, I want to tangle with them," Octillery grinned, "Groudon and Magma Cavern won't forget about me anytime soon"

"Hey, hey! Don't forget about me either!" A third Pokemon called, stepping forth. It was Golem from Team Rumblerock. The same one who fought Zapdos alongside us.

"That's Golem! The brutal and powerful leader of Team Rumblerock!" One Pokemon said in awe.

"His body is rock hard. Supposingly, he can take explosions without taking any damage!"

"I'm well suited to fighting underground," Golem declared, "If Groudon's awakening down there, I'll simply bury him with my Rock Slide. You can count on that"

"Blastoise, Octillery and Golem! I don't think anyone would complain about that selection," Shiftry grinned, "Alright, looks like we have our team. These three will make the journey underground to find Team A.C.T!"

Cheering erupted from the crowd, from both rescuers and square residents alike.

"You're representing us. Make us proud!"

"Good luck! I know you can do it!"

"Let's set off right away. To Magma Cavern!" Blastoise rallied and the crowd made way as the trio walked through, quickly disappearing in the darkness of the rain. After they left, the rest of the rescue team dispersed, either heading back home or staying in the square.

"See? A team of strong Pokemon perfectly suited to combating the dungeon," Lombre told us, "Let them handle it"

"Alright, but I can't help but feel a chill on my back about this…"

"It's probably the rain. Let's find some work and head home for breakfast," I told Erdalla and we headed over to the billboard by Pelipper's Post Office.

…

Another two days past and still no word from Team A.C.T or their rescue team. Erdalla was starting to get worried by the increased frequency of quakes and rainstorms.

"It's just their return trip. You know how slow those three Pokemon are," I assured the anxious Pikachu, but even I was having my doubts. Last night, a vicious quake rocked the house briefly and scared Zeplin into unconsciousness. Erdalla had to recharge him to get him moving again. In another instance, a lightning bolt from a storm nearly struck Natalie after she bought groceries. The disasters weren't letting up and if nothing else, they were getting stronger.

"Did you see how stacked the billboard was? The amount of Pokemon in need of rescue is crazy," Salazar exclaimed after returning back to base, "Five requests from Sinister Woods alone. I'll be back before dinner"

"Here's all the rescue requests from the mail," Natalie dumped an alarmingly tall stack of papers on Erdalla's desk, "We should split up the team to handle all of this today"

With our team on high demand, stress was getting to us all. The anxiety of waiting for news to arrive was starting to drive us up the wall. I went to sleep every night feeling more and more exhausted than the last.

"Alfrin! Erdalla! Come to the square quick!" We heard Lombre shout one morning at dawn, "Team A.C.T's rescue squad is back!"

"Really?!" Erdalla grinned with excitement, "We'll be down in a sec!"

Once we arrived at the square however, we saw Blastoise, Octillery and Golem all battered and beaten up. Team A.C.T was nowhere to be found.

"W-what happened to you three?" Erdalla asked, quivering. She only got a groan as a response, "Shiftry, what the hell happened?!"

"They were all wiped out. Pelipper found them nearly dead at the dungeon's entrance…" Shiftry replied uneasily, "Octillery barely got them out of there with an Escape Orb but…"

"Urghh… that place is seriously rough," Blastoise groaned, "We couldn't even get far enough to see Groudon"

"No sign of Team A.C.T either. They might be already long gone…" Octillery moaned.

"I'm never going to that hellhole again... " Golem shook his head.

"Erina!" Erdalla called to the Chansey who came in to check the scene, "Heal these three Pokemon please"

"With pleasure," Erina nodded and went to work while the rest of us faced Shiftry, who had sweat beading down his face.

"It appears that Magma Cavern is worse than we thought," Shiftry gritted his teeth, "If Blastoise, Golem and Octillery can't handle it, who can?"

"Keh heh heh!"

Instantly, Erdalla jerked her head to the sound of the laugh, "Gengar!"

"What fools you are. This is what you get for trying the impossible," The purple specter cackled as he teleported onto the scene. Erdalla raised her electrified hands, preparing to fry the dastardly ghost, "It's like Shiftry said. If Blastoise's team can't do it, who can? They were the best suited to fighting it"

"That doesn't mean we can't continue trying. The fate of the world and Team A.C.T rests on this!" Erdalla cried, "It's like you said, isn't it? If we continue to do nothing, then the world will fall to ruin!"

"There's a difference here, Erdalla. These Pokemon have more brains and self-preservation than you," Gengar gestured to the uneasy crowd, who were murmuring among themselves. Some were thinking the exact same thing Shiftry and Gengar said while others argued over their chances in the cavern.

"I can't go in there. I burn way too easily"

"I'm terrible with earthquakes. I'll just get beaten by Groudon instantly"

"It's like going in there and knowing full well that you'll be killed…"

"Keh heh heh! See!" Gengar grinned wildly, "There's a difference between this situation and the last. It would be easy to kill Alfrin, but Groudon is a different story. Sometimes you gotta wise up and just give up!"

"Are you saying we just lie down and accept that Groudon and Kyogre will ravage the world?!" Erdalla yelled, silencing everyone, "Never! Our team will go!"

"WHAT?!"

"E-Erdalla, please consider the consequences first!" Erina gasped, "Blastoise's team was wiped out before they could even see Groudon. We'll be destroyed just as fast. Don't let your rashness kill us!"

"Is there no other choice?! Nobody else is going to step up to fight!" The Pikachu shot back, "And if no one is going to fight to save this world, then we'll have to take it into our own hands. Alfrin and Erina, we're moving out!"

"Erdalla! Wait!" I cried as me and Erina chased after the Pikachu, who was marching back to base. The crowd didn't say a word. All of them, including Gengar, were stunned in shock, "I agree with Erina. We can't take on Magma Cavern! Please don't let your grudge with Gengar kill us"

"This isn't about Gengar, Alfrin. It's about the fate of Team A.C.T and the world now," Erdalla repeated with irritation, "It's up to us to save them now, since nobody else is. Even if it costs us our lives, well…"

"We'll die if we stand idle. I can say that much," Fiona stated as she walked towards us, "It's better that we take this chance than do nothing. At least we can avert this crisis before it destroys the world"

"See? Fiona agrees with me," Erdalla nodded to the Absol, "So I'm going to Magma Cavern, regardless if you want me to or not. Join by your own discretion"

"... I'll go. Someone needs to keep you safe from your recklessness," Erina sighed, "My healing will keep all of you topped up"

"Same for me. I'll douse all of them with my Water type moves," I assured, "With all of us together, surely we can succeed"

"That's the spirit," Erdalla smiled proudly, "Now how are we going to be able to get there…?"

"You called?" A Pelipper descended down from the skies in front of us, his bill open and wide, "I heard your decision to take on Magma Cavern and I'm here to help! Climb into my bill and I'll fly you over straight away"

"Whoa… how much is this going to cost us?" Erdalla asked, taken aback, "Usually Pelipper transportation is super expensive"

"Free of charge this time. Your mission is more important than Poke," Pelipper shook his head, "Whenever you're ready, I'll be here"

"Thank you. Let's take some time to prepare before we depart," Erdalla decided and we headed back to base.

…

Half an hour later, we were ready to go. Our toolboxes were stuffed with Oran Berries, Apples, offensive seeds, utility orbs and everything else a rescuer would need. In particular, we packed tons of Rainy Orbs as the rain would do well to ward off all the Fire types in Magma Cavern.

"Everyone ready to go?" Pelipper asked once we were all inside his massive bill. Erdalla nodded and confirmed, "Alright, let's fly! To Magma Cavern!"

With that, we soared, flying off towards Magma Cavern on the northeast tip of the continent, near the cold region where Frosty Forest and Mt Freeze was. Pelipper reported that we'll be there in a couple hours, so I decided to take the time to rest. Despite us being in Pelipper's mouth, it was fairly comfortable.

"It's a good idea to rest before we take on a dungeon like this," Erdalla agreed as she produced a blanket out of her toolbox, draping it over me, "Sleep well, Alfrin"

"T-thanks…" I replied before dozing off, enveloping my world in darkness. Before long however, the dreamscape where I met with Gardevoir appeared.

"H-hm? I'm here again?" I looked around myself, looking for Gardevoir, "Gardevoir! Where are you?"

"Right here, Alfrin. Always here," Gardevoir replied soothingly as she materialized beside me, "You're heading to Magma Cavern right now, aren't you?"

"Yes. It's probably the hardest dungeon our team is about to take on, since Blastoise's squad couldn't handle it," I nodded, "Truthfully, I dunno if we'll make it out alive"

"You and your team will be fine. I'm certain you'll succeed," Gardevoir smiled, "Remember, you've taken on legendary Pokemon like Zapdos, Moltres and Articuno. You are capable of beating out Groudon too"

"But Groudon is in a completely different league than the legendary birds. It shaped the world!" I protested, "I know we can't turn back now, but… do we even have a chance?"

"That is not something I can tell you. All I can say is that go with your head held high and confidence in your heart. You have my support," Gardevoir comforted, "Go with my strength and you'll prevail"

"... Thank you, Gardevoir. I'll try," I nodded, "By the way, do you know anything about Magma Cavern or Groudon?"

"I'm sorry, but no. I only wanted to give you some encouragement," Gardevoir shook her head, frowning, "Why do you ask?"

"It sounded like you know something about him, judging by what you said," I replied, "If our team can beat the legendary birds, we can prevail over Groudon"

"Forgive me, but I can't envision either of your requests," Gardevoir replied sadly.

"Mm, it's alright. Thank you anyways"

"However… I can tell you one thing"

"Huh?"

"Your role in this world is coming to an end, little by little," Gardevoir said sagely, "Your purpose as a Pokemon is drawing to its conclusion…"

"Gardevoir, please tell me what my role here is! I need to know!" I demanded, but Gardevoir already started to flicker out of view, "Gardevoir!"

"It's better that fate runs its course naturally rather than you being able to interfere with it," Gardevoir shook her head, "When the time is right, I will tell you. Perhaps once your adventure is over…"

"There's no point to that! Just tell me now!" I cried, desperate, "Gardevoir!"

"Farewell, Alfrin. May your journey go well…"

With that, my audience with Gardevoir ended and I snapped awake, aware of Erdalla calling my name.

"Oh good, you're awake," Erdalla gazed out of Pelipper's bill forlornly, "Because we've arrived. Welcome to Magma Cavern"

Looking out of Pelipper's bill, I saw a massive crater red-hot with lava and magma. It looked out of place in the cold lands, but there it was, a molten blister in the crust of the earth. I could feel the heat from up in the sky.

"Here we are, everyone! Safe travels!" Pelipper lowered down to the ground level, dropping us off in front of the dungeon, "I'll return tomorrow at noon to pick you guys up. If you aren't back here by then, well…"

"Don't say it. We'll be here with Team A.C.T. I promise," Erdalla replied confidently and Pelipper nodded, "Alright team, this is probably the hardest dungeon we'll ever face. Are we ready?"

"You have my healing hands. I'll keep you all safe," Erina assured, nodding, "I'm ready"

"I will not let the world be ruined by disasters any longer. I'm prepared to lay down my life for this cause," Fiona nodded decisively, "I'm ready. Let's do this!"

"You already know my answer, Erdalla. We're with you, no matter what," I told the Pikachu, "Now come, Groudon awaits!"

"Yes! Team Lazulian, MOVE OUT!"

 _Our team:_

 _\- Alfrin, Mudkip - Fate's Wings_

 _Level 35_

 _Moves: Water Pulse, Ice Beam, Ancient Power and Mud Shot_

 _\- Erdalla, Pikachu - Resilient Rescuer_

 _Level 38_

 _Moves: Thunderbolt, Thunder Punch, Quick Attack and Thunder Wave_

 _\- Fiona, Absol - Warner of Disaster_

 _Level 34_

 _Moves: Ice Beam, Slash, Faint Attack and Swords Dance_

 _\- Erina, Chansey - Pious Healer_

 _Level 31_

 _Moves: Softboiled, Refresh, Egg Bomb and Lucky Chant_

 **Only a few more chapters and this story is coming to an end. I hope all of you enjoyed it thus far. I certainly did while writing it. Coming up next is the journey through Magma Cavern and the fight against Groudon. If you want to be notified when a new chapter releases, favorite, follow or follow me on Twitter at EySharp. If you want to leave constructive criticism, leave a review. Until next time!  
**


	21. Chapter 20: The Behemoth

PMD: Fateful Saviors

Chapter 20: The Behemoth

"Groudon, also known as the Behemoth, was the one who shaped the world and it's land. With his godlike powers, he rose the continents, created the sun and gave birth to life on land by his radiance. To all that dwell on land and call it their home, they give reverence to Groudon, their creator and god"

"Water Pulse!"

"SCREEE!"

Another Magcargo screeched and disintegrated to dust as I drowned it with a blast of water. A Nidoking, Onix and Golem soon approached and I shot volley after volley, slaughtering them. I couldn't see how Blastoise's team struggled so much down here, but perhaps the worst was yet to come.

"Like all primordial forces in the universe, Groudon has a counterpart to balance the scales of creation and power. That counterpart was Kyogre, also known as the Leviathan. She created the seas wrapping around Groudon's land and gave birth to all sealife known to the world. Without either legendary to balance life, disasters will ravage the world and Pokemon will cease to exist"

"Hah!" Fiona viciously slashed at an Arbok and Sandslash with her horn, which was augmented by Swords Dance. The giant cobra and shrew were no match for the Absol's boosted power and were quickly diced apart, "Hm! Simple enough"

"Fiona, watch out!" Erina jumped in front of the Absol, shielding her from an incoming Flamethrower. The Chansey wasn't fazed, but her toolbox was scorched by the intense blast, "Oh gods, no! my toolbox!"

"There goes all your items," I groaned as I launched a stream of mud towards an enemy Nidoqueen, blinding it before taking it down with Water Pulse, "Everyone, be wary of enemy fire type attacks. We can't afford to lose everything!"

"Despite this, Groudon and Kyogre have an eternally-long grudge against each other and in the primal age, regularly clashed against each other in battle. Their feud caused so much global destruction that the god of the sky, Rayquaza had to descend to put both primal beasts into slumber. To this day, they rest in Magma Cavern and Stormy Sea respectfully. If either beast were to awaken however…"

"AAAAAAAAHHHH! MY FOOT!" Fiona shrieked as lava coated her leg, burning away the muscle and digging into her flesh like a burning vice, "ERINA!"

"Refresh!" The Chansey cried quickly, casting a divine blue light over the Absol's injured leg, removing the steaming magma, "Softboiled!"

Just as the blue light of Refresh faded, the golden light of Softboiled replaced it, mending Fiona's charred flesh. The Absol breathed a sigh of relief before noticing a Nidoking and Arbok sneaking up to the distracted Chansey.

"Watch out!" Fiona pushed Erina behind her, firing an Ice Beam to beat back the Nidoking. The Arbok lashed as quick as a whip with Poison Fang, rupturing Fiona's side, "Gah!"

"I've got you!" I launched a stream of dirt with Mud Shot to take down the Arbok before finishing off the Nidoking with Fiona's assistance, "Phew. There is no end to the wild Pokemon here, huh?"

"Yes. No wonder Blastoise's team struggled so much. With no healer on their side and their items being burnt by the flames, they were quickly smothered," Erina nodded in agreement, "That's not even factoring this blistering heat wearing us down…"

"... Then the other shall awaken as well and resume their ancient feud. All of civilization and Pokemon will be wiped out before the storm is settled by Rayquaza's interference," Erdalla finished, letting the threat and intone of Groudon hang in the air.

"Was it really necessary to recite the legend of Groudon and Kyogre while we're fighting?" I asked, biting my lip.

"I was doing my share of brawling," Erdalla frowned, "Plus, rambling calms me down. It's better than fully taking in this hellish landscape"

"That's fair," I shrugged, "I don't like this place one bit…"

"I doubt anyone would," Erdalla agreed, looking around. The entire cavern was made of hot black rock that I feared would crumble at any moment, dunking me into a river of lava. Speaking of lava, it was everywhere along with magma. Coasting around in lakes, rivers and puddles all over the dungeon, it was a miracle we even had a dungeon layout suitable for us. The residual heat from all the fire made me feel like I was boiling. I was so glad the others didn't decide to join along.

"How many floors does this dungeon have anyways?" I wondered aloud, "We were trekking here for like, seven floors already"

"I asked Blastoise's team while I healed them in the square and they said it was around twenty-ish floors," Erina proclaimed, "So we're in for the long run"

"Fantastic… I really wish we'd find a Secret Bazaar right now so we can skip to the checkpoint," Erdalla groaned, "Twenty floors is too much to skip with Pure Seeds or orbs"

"Secret Bazaar?"

"Oh right, I forgot to tell you. Me and my team encountered one while we were scaling Mt Freeze," The Pikachu explained to me, "We just beat a Monster House and I got distracted and…"

"She fell down a hole. Just like that," Erina finished, "Salazar tried to warn her, but it was too late. Erdalla disappeared down the dungeon floor instantly"

"Yes. And when I landed, I was greeted by a Kirlia," Erdalla nodded, "She said I was in a Secret Bazaar, a hidden service for explorers and rescuers. Inside was Mime Jr's spa…"

"... The one with miraculous healing powers. I still need to talk with that joker," Erina recalled, "There was also Swalot and his item bags. What did he do again?"

"He resupplied us with random items. I think Natalie picked up a bag or two," Erdalla replied. To keep the conversation going and chaos off our backs, I threw down a Rainy Orb, calling down a rainstorm to scare away all the wild Pokemon. Bet they never saw rain living down here, "And finally, there was Shedinja and his teleportation"

"Finally? I remember seeing one more. There was a Lickitung next to Shedinja's stand," Erina shook her hand, "We never got to know what he did though"

"We were in too much of a hurry to ask. I'm sure Kirlia would of explained it, had I not stopped her," Erdalla shrugged, "You have a good memory, Erina"

"I've been told as such," The Chansey replied proudly. Conversation ceased between us after that. I tried to ask more about Erdalla's journey up Mt Freeze and how she survived the fall down the cliff from Articuno, but the Pikachu insisted that now wasn't the time.

"Remember that this dungeon isn't a cakewalk. We don't have unlimited Rainy Orbs to fend off the Fire type Pokemon," Erdalla reminded me as she blasted an Arbok and Magmar with Thunderbolt. The Magmar fell quickly, but the Arbok countered with Gunk Shot, forcing Erdalla back, "We can't afford to lose focus. Alfrin, take the Arbok out!"

"Gotcha!" A swift stream of mud finished off the massive snake while Erdalla wiped the toxic waste off her body. The Pikachu then fished an Oran Berry out of her bag to heal her wounds.

"Mm, lukewarm. Good that it still heals properly," Erdalla frowned, "Berries stricken by permafrost don't work their magic anymore…"

"Is that what happened when you fell off the cliff? You weren't able to subside on berries because they were cold?" I asked and Erdalla shirked away from me, "Erdalla, why can you not tell me what happened? We're relatively safe now and you said rambling kept you focused"

"Alfrin, I…" The Pikachu glanced at Erina, who shook her head.

"Tell him yourself," She mouthed.

"... Fine. Good way to pass the time," Erdalla sighed, "After my fall, I landed in another section of the Frosty Forest. Injured and stripped of all of my items, I trudged through the thick snow and blizzard, completely alone and helpless"

"That blizzard was caused by Articuno. It should have repelled any Pokemon not native to the forest," Fiona frowned, "Especially in your condition, you should have frozen solid. How did you…"

"This was after Alfrin and the others defeated the legendary bird. The blizzard must have been dying down," Erdalla replied, "Anyways, my destination was Mt Freeze. I was hoping to reunite with Alfrin and receive healing"

"Something held you up, right? After all, me, Howard and Fiona began our ascent far before you arrived," I asked and the Pikachu nodded.

"Correct. I was stopped in the snowfall by… Gengar," Erdalla's expression morphed into one of anger and her hand closed into a fist. Residual sparks blew off her body and I feared standing even close to her, "But not in his usual purple look. Instead he was a pale, white and faceless ghost, indetectable in the snowy canvas"

Her voice quivered when she described Gengar's form. I began to speak up to tell her to stop if she wanted, but she continued anyway.

"I was paralyzed in fear," Erdalla admitted, tears sparkling on her eyes. Quickly however, she wiped them away, maintaining her solemn expression, "Gengar got into my head and exploited my greatest fear: something that I can't see, attack or comprehend. He grabbed me a-and… humiliated me like nothing else"

"... What did he do?"

"Enough Alfrin. I've said enough!" Erdalla cried, gritting her teeth to stop the tears from flowing, "That was the lowest I've ever been in my life. I don't want to say more"

"But…"

"Alfrin, lay off. She clearly doesn't want to be pressed," Erina scolded me before dropping down to a whisper, "When we found her, she was covered in bruises everywhere, along with marks on her neck. Gengar must of beaten her up before strangling her"

"I was fearing something worse," I admitted, "Still, that must have been terrible given her condition…"

"Indeed. It wasn't only her body that was scarred. Her pride was broken too…" Erina murmured as she glanced at Erdalla, who distanced herself from us after her outburst, "Judging by her reaction to Gengar at the square, I can say she's got a deep, resentful grudge towards him"

"Definitely. She has been humiliated by Gengar thrice now. First at Sinister Woods, then in the forest outskirts of Mt Blaze and now Frosty Forest," I nodded, "No wonder she hates him so much"

"I can't imagine she's very healthy mentally after all of that. You're the closest one to her. Watch for any signs of trouble and tell me, alright?" Erina requested, "Keep her grounded"

"She's improving. I've noticed since Natalie fell into that coma," I assured, "I'm sure she's alright"

"Hopefully. Grudges never benefit anyone…"

We proceeded through the rest of Magma Cavern smoothly. Despite the power difference, we surmised that the reason Blastoise's team fell was because their healing items were destroyed. Erina was a near-endless source of recovery, so even if we were backed against a wall by a Monster House, she could keep us topped off. All we needed to do was shield the healer.

"Alfrin, after me! Spread your Water type attacks out with Surf!" Erdalla cried as she let loose a flare of electricity with Discharge, obliterating a crowd of Pokemon save for a few Rhydon and Sandslash. Now it was my turn.

"Take this!" I felt a tingling feeling in my gut as a new technique with water welled up inside me. I spat out a glob of water with Water Pulse before transforming it into a tidal wave mid-flight, washing away the enemy Ground types with ease. Fiona mopped up the last remnants coming for Erina and we moved onward. We were on the seventeenth floor now, hopefully close to our destination.

"In our condition, we wouldn't even be fit to brawl with Groudon. You can't beat exhaustion with healing," Erina heaved, exhausted from her efforts in the dungeon. I couldn't blame her. She used Softboiled and Refresh in the nick of time many times to save us from a grisly fall in magma, a fatal burning or a hard bruise from a rock. She already had to dunk two Max Elixirs to keep the power points up.

"Let's rest then. Hopefully a rest spot is coming up," Erdalla decided as she cracked a One-Room Orb on the ground, destroying all the walls in the entire dungeon floor. The enemy Pokemon, angered that their homes disappeared, charged at us, but a simple Discharge plus Surf combo from me and Erdalla took them out. I hated that we were killing so many Pokemon, but they shot first, so we could only retaliate.

"The sin of murder is great. I wonder how we rescuers will be judged once we die," Erina muttered to herself as she clasped her hands in prayer, "To explore mystery dungeons mean we intrude on Pokemon territory. We kill in retaliation to their defense of their home. Is it wrong for us to be doing this? We're painting our hands in their blood"

"That's why I try to avoid engagements if we can, but these Pokemon give us no choice," Erdalla scolded, "If we don't counterattack, we die. The sins and bodies we pile is great, but they're all in self-defense. For the most part"

"Does that excuse the fact that we murder and tear apart families in our adventures through mystery dungeons?" Erina argued, "This can't possibly be the natural order"

"Enough Erina. The heat is getting to your head," Erdalla growled, "Stay focused on the task at hand. We're almost there"

One floor later, we finally reached a rest spot, where we had a breather for the first time in the dungeon. Even then, that breather wasn't refreshing with the noxious air around us killing my lungs. I couldn't wait to get out of here.

"Hm? What's this?" Fiona piped up while we were resting. She walked over to the rest spot's exit, picking up a fallen toolbox, "Someone on Blastoise's team must of dropped this"

"Let's see if there is anything useful," Erdalla took the toolbox, looking through it, "It's a miracle these stuff didn't burn in the heat here. There are some Blast Seeds, utility orbs, a few berries and…"

Erdalla pulled free a mysterious beige tablet with intricate writing on it, "... This Mystery Part?"

"A what?"

"Aah! Put that away!" Fiona shoved the plate back into the toolbox, "Don't put it up to the light of the lava or…"

Suddenly, a powerful quake began rocking the dungeon, sending small pebbles raining down on us as the cavern threatened to collapse.

"... That will happen!" Fiona cried before the ground split beneath us, dropping all of us down a great ravine. The air whistled like crazy beside us as we fell to the endless, crimson abyss below. This was the end. We couldn't survive a fall like this unless…

"Fiona, take this!" Erdalla tossed a Blast Seed to the Absol, who was frantically looking for anything to latch onto, "Once we're close to hitting the ground, use the Blast Seed's explosion to cushion your fall. Same for you Erina, but use Egg Bomb!"

"You're insane! How the hell is that supposed to work?!" Fiona screamed.

"It's all we've got. Maybe it will work!" Erdalla shouted back before turning to me, "Alfrin, what can you do?! I don't have anymore Blast Seeds!"

"I don't know!" I cried. It was hard to think and focus when you were plummeting towards the ground at incredible speeds, but I had to do something to survive. Use my toolbox to cushion the fall? No, that would just impale me on the box's shards. Maybe I had a move that would work? But what can…?

"Surf! Maybe before we land, I could conjure a small pool to break our fall! It'll hurt like hell, but…"

"Whatever works, Alfrin! Here it comes!" Erdalla shouted, holding her Blast Seed in preparation to throw. I concentrated and spat a large mass of water towards the approaching ground, manipulating it to spread into a wave like before. With a yell of fury, I raised the water mass to catch us, gently bringing us down to ground level. The impact didn't hurt me, but Erina had to heal some broken bones from Erdalla, herself and Fiona. Still, we were alive.

"Thank goodness we landed safely. Looks like we skipped a good couple of floors in the dungeon," Erdalla breathed a sigh of relief as she looked around herself, "This isn't a dungeon layout so…"

"It must be another checkpoint. Or the end where Groudon is," Erina quivered in nervous fear.

"Look over there! It's Alakazam!" Fiona pointed and we all turned to see the team leader, battered and caked in dust. Yet still, he was standing and staring ahead into the great lava pool, spoons raised

"Alakazam!" I called as we approached him, "There you are. Where's Groudon and your teammates?"

"Hm! So you've arrived. I'm surprised to see you've survived this place," Alakazam replied, not even turning to face us, "However, I demand you stay back. Groudon is not to be messed with"

"Did Groudon take out Charizard and Tyranitar?"

"Yes, but we've weakened him greatly. He has retreated for now, but I know he'll be back for more," Alakazam raised his spoon, ready for a devastating Psychic, "And when he does, I'll finish him off"

"Let us help you!" Erdalla pleaded and Alakazam scowled, about to argue before a great roar pierced the air.

"No time for chat. Here he comes!" Alakazam shouted and heavy footsteps shook the ground as a massive behemoth of a Pokemon appeared in the sea of magma. I could vaguely make out his form in the haze of the lava. Only his red-plated armor-like body and seriously sharp claws were what I could see. Slowly, he reached the shoreline we were and all the tension in the air snapped at once.

"GRRROOOOOORR!" Groudon roared as he stepped onto the plain, instantly raising his hand to conjure a burning sun in the deep underground cavern.

"Go, go! Batter him with everything you've got!" Alakazam commanded as he fired his powerful Psychic, rending the air asunder in front of Groudon. The behemoth retaliated by smashing the ground in front of him, calling forth a shower of rocks with Rock Slide to bury Alakazam. The team leader teleported away in time to evade the attack and fire Psybeam, wrestling control over the attack from Groudon, "The sun powers up Fire type moves and weakens Water type ones. Keep that in mind!"

"Gotcha! Now's a good time for this!" Fiona fished out a Fire Blast TM from her toolbox, using it on herself to learn the move. While Alakazam fired back Groudon's Rock Slide to smash against the behemoth's face, Fiona launched an intense five-pointed burst of flame that crashed against Groudon's chest, burning him in a great inferno.

"GRRROORRRR!" Groudon roared in fury as it shrugged off both attacks. Suddenly, it crouched before leaping into the air…

"Earthquake! Get airborne!" Alakazam shouted as he surrounded both Erina and Erdalla in psychic energy, lifting them into the air. I used my old Surf tactic to get me off the ground while Fiona took the full brunt of the blow, crumbling to the ground in a heap. In our momentary lapse of pause, Groudon surrounded himself with an array of silver swords, indicating Swords Dance.

"Curses! His attacks won't be easy to weather now!" Alakazam growled before charging green power into his spoon, "Hidden Power Ice!"

The ice-powered shockwave crashed into Groudon's neck, staggering it. I decided to follow up with my own Ice Beam, putting more pressure onto the great behemoth. If we could keep this up, we might actually win! Erdalla's support with seeds further kept Groudon locked down, with Stun and X-Eye harrying the legendary.

"I'm taking Fiona out of this battle. She's been hit too hard!" Erina yelled as she dragged the unconscious Absol out of the cavern, "Stay safe!"

"Heal my comrades while you're at it! We can do this!" Alakazam nodded before firing another Hidden Power Ice, slamming Groudon again, "Don't let up! We're almost there!"

"Everyone back up!" Erdalla suddenly shouted and right then, Groudon exploded with Overheat, sending a shockwave of flame that caught Alakazam off guard. In one shot, our prime source of offense was down for the count.

"Revive Alakazam. I'll keep Groudon busy!" I told Erdalla and I charged the great beast before she could argue. With a mighty roar, Groudon brought down his claws in a Swords Dance boosted Dragon Claw, but I kicked myself back with Mud Shot, evading the blow. My goal wasn't to bring down Groudon, but distract it. Alakazam had to be the one to take it out. Still, Groudon's attack cleaving through the cavern wall left me in fear of what he could do next.

"Stay back!" I fired an Ice Beam that collided with Groudon's face, making him roar in agony. I didn't know why a fiery beast like him was weak to Ice and not resistant to Fire, but I wasn't complaining. I kept my beam of ice up, staggering the behemoth as the ice melted into water, touching his true nemesis.

"GRROOOORR!" Groudon, enraged with fury, came down to my face and roared, sending me flying backwards to where Alakazam and Erdalla were. Alakazam was up and walking, but he was still weakened. We needed to finish this now or else…

"GRROOOOO!' Groudon slammed down his foot, sending a rapid shockwave through the ground towards us.

"Precipice Blades! MOVE IT!" Alakazam yelled, quickly teleporting aside to avoid the blow. In a flash, Erdalla grabbed me and whisked me away with Quick Attack, effectively avoiding the massive earth spikes that shot out of the ground.

"T-thanks…" I wheezed as Erdalla let go of me.

"Never letting you die. Don't forget it," Erdalla reached into her toolbox, preparing another seed, "We can't let this go on any longer. This needs to end now!"

"Coming in! Let's light 'em up!" Suddenly, Charizard and the others appeared by the cavern entrance, looking healthy and ready to fight. Together with Fiona, they fired a double shot of Fire Blast augmented by the sun at Groudon, making him stagger in pain.

"This is a critical moment. Let's finish this!" Alakazam yelled at me as he charged another Hidden Power Ice. I nodded and prepared my Ice Beam. Before Groudon could recover, we both fired our moves on opposite sides to the great legendary, slamming his one weakness twofold: water. Groudon roared in agony when the attack ended. He stumbled in the lava, wobbling and roaring in pain before finally crumbling down, defeated for good.

"Finally… it's over," I breathed a sigh of relief as I turned to our party, "Team A.C.T, thank you helping us"

"We should be thanking you. Without your reinforcement, I doubt we would have beaten Groudon," Charizard laughed, "Alakazam couldn't last forever, you know"

"Save the chatter for when we leave," Alakazam said sternly, "Groudon will awaken again soon and it'll be angry to see us"

"Groudon will awaken again?!" Erdalla cried, "Wouldn't that mean-"

"Do not fear. He simply lost control because of the disasters disturbing his rest. He should return to normal soon," Alakazam raised his spoon, surrounding all of us in pink light, "Now let us leave this torturous place"

Instantly, all of us were teleported out of Magma Cavern and back to the entrance, where Pelipper was waiting for us.

"Wow, you made it! And you brought Team A.C.T back with you as well!" Pelipper cried in amazement, "The square will be delighted to hear this!"

"Yes… we shouldn't trouble you with the return trip. We can get back to the square ourselves," Alakazam told Pelipper, "You're free to go"

"Oh, alright. Glad to see you're alright," Pelipper nodded to Team A.C.T before turning to us, "And thank you Team Lazulian for rescuing them. If you ever need my flight services, call on me. I'll give you a discount!"

"I'll think about that. Thank you!" Erdalla nodded and Pelipper took off in the frigid winds, heading back to Pokemon Square. With another flick of his spoon, Alakazam teleported us back home as well.

…

We reappeared in the square center and instantly, everyone swarmed in a chorus of cheering and applause.

"You did it! You really did it!" Shiftry grinned from ear to ear, "You beat Magma Cavern and rescued Team A.C.T!"

"Did you beat Groudon too?" Caterpie asked and Alakazam nodded in affirmation, "Wow…!"

The cheering got louder and we got praise and offers from all over. It was frankly embarrassing, but I was glad Erdalla finally settled back into the square after the exile incident.

"Team Lazulian, allow us to genuinely thank you for aiding us. You are first rate explorers and rescuers to come for us in Magma Cavern," Alakazam told us formally, "Take pride in that. You have risen above every rescue team in the square with your achievements"

"Even your team, Alakazam?"

"Even mine. Your team is destined for great things," Alakazam nodded, "And its course isn't stopping anything soon"

The festivities continued until suddenly, a loud cry echoed through the air, silencing everyone.

"Huh? What was that?" Lombre asked.

The cry sounded again out of nowhere. It sounded like a bird's cry, but no avian could possibly be that loud.

"Where's it coming from?" Golem asked in confusion.

The cry repeated again and Erdalla perked up.

"I recognize that voice! It's Xatu's!" The Pikachu realized "From the Hill of the Ancients!"

"Ah, so it's telepathy. I wonder what he needs to tell us…" Alakazam wondered as the cry resounded and Xatu's voice was loud and clear.

"To all Pokemon! Calling all Pokemon!" Xatu echoed, commanding our attention, "Terrible it is! From the sky falls a massive star!"

"A massive star…? A meteor?!" Alakazam cried and the rest of the townsfolk panicked, but Xatu silenced them with his voice.

"From the sky calls a star! It is huge, a giant of a star. The star, it falls. Straight to us," Xatu continued cryptically, "Disasters in nature, there have been many. The balance of the world has been upset. All because of the star. The star that moves closer"

"So the meteor is the thing that's causing all these disasters!" Lombre realized, "How are we supposed to stop that?!"

"If it keeps coming, it will crash onto the world. It shall be terrible," Xatu continued, "Something must be done"

"Tell us then, Xatu. Can the falling star be stopped?" Alakazam asked and there was a brief pause before Xatu answered.

"... There is but one way. To prevent collision, there is one deity to ask. Rayquaza, lord of the skies," Xatu replied, "He is who must be asked to destroy the falling star"

"But if Rayquaza is the lord of the skies, how can we reach him? I assume his domain is known by few and visited by nobody," Erdalla said uneasily.

"To reach the sky, Alakazam and I will amplify our Teleport abilities. We can send but only two Pokemon up to the sky to request Rayquaza," Xatu answered, "However, the world of the sky is a universe of its own. What will become of the Pokemon in the sky… even I cannot guess"

"Two Pokemon… Me and Alfrin will go," Erdalla decided decisively, "There is no better choice. Am I wrong?"

"You aren't, but…" Alakazam stared at Erdalla carefully, "Are you sure? There's no telling what could happen in Rayquaza's domain. You might not even be able to return home"

"For the fate of the world, we will sacrifice anything. Even ourselves," Erdalla declared before looking at me for affirmation. I nodded. This was what Gardevoir meant by my role's climax. I came here to stop the disasters and this is the crowning moment: ascending Rayquaza's domain to destroy the meteor and finally attain world peace. This was the true way, "Rest assured, we will see this mission through. Absolutely"

"Alfrin and Erdalla, listen here," Xatu called, "Discuss we will, Alakazam and I, about how Teleport can be amplified. Departure is tomorrow. Rest and prepare you should until then"

"We understand," Erdalla nodded.

"Last word," Xatu said, "Dangerous will be your adventure. But fail, you must not. Surpass yourselves"

On that final word, Xatu seemed to vanish. The townsfolk dispersed, leaving us to prepare. Erdalla turned to me, eyes stern and determined.

"Alfrin, are you ready for this? This is the final step of our quest," Erdalla said decisively, "To ascend Rayquaza's home and end the disasters once and for all… it is to fulfill your destiny finally"

"So you've figured it out. My role here is to save the world"

"Yes. You, Alfrin, turned into a Pokemon to save the world from the disasters. And I will see your job fulfilled no matter what," Erdalla turned her back on me, heading back to base, "For you are our world's fateful savior"

 _Our team:_

 _\- Alfrin, Mudkip - Fateful Savior_

 _Level 37_

 _Ability: Torrent_

 _Moves: Surf, Ice Beam, Mud Shot and Ancient Power_

 _\- Erdalla, Pikachu - Savior's Companion_

 _Level 39_

 _Ability: Lightning Rod and Static_

 _Moves: Thunderbolt, Thunder Punch, Quick Attack and Thunder Wave_

 **If you want to be notified of when a new chapter comes out, favorite and follow. If you want to leave constructive criticism, leave a review. Since this novelization is soon coming to an end, I'll let you guys in on what I'll be working on next. Once I finish Super Mystery Dungeon, I'll make a novelization of that starring two new protagonists and a whole new world to explore. Gates will be done last. Until next time!  
**


	22. Chapter 21: Skybound Citadel

PMD: Fateful Saviors

Chapter 21: Skybound Citadel

"By the way Fiona, what was that object that Erdalla pulled out in Magma Cavern?" I asked the Absol as I jam packed my toolbox full of supplies. Since me and Erdalla were going into Rayquaza's home solo, we needed to be prepared for anything. As such, the others took it upon themselves to find and contribute anything they had, "That tablet thing you slapped aside"

"That was a Mystery Part, Alfrin. It's an ancient artifact that can summon legendary Pokemon," The Absol explained, "When Erdalla held it up to the lava's light, it must've prematurely roused Groudon, which explains the quake"

"How would you know something like that?"

"I foresaw it shortly after we arrived at the rest point. Disasters like that are my forte," Fiona replied with a hint of pride, "In any case, the Mystery Part would be a useful thing to keep around"

"Yeah. Erdalla never found out who the toolbox belonged to after we came home, so finder's keepers," I shrugged as I dumped in an assortment of seeds into my own box, "... Okay, that's probably as much as I can fill. Anymore would just make things cumbersome"

"You still have room for this though," Fiona draped an electric blue scarf around my neck, "I found it in the supply bin. The tag says it's a Detect Band"

"What does it do?" I asked as I touched the azure silk scarf. It felt weightless. I could barely feel it on my neck, yet Fiona knotted it tight still. Convenient.

"Well, I know the move Detect shields you from practically any impact, so this band must be similar," Fiona theorized, "Honestly I gave it to you because it looked nice"

"That's fair. This DOES look pretty fashionable…" I touched the cloth again, feeling it's smooth touch, "I'll ask Erdalla what it does later. She probably knows"

"Yeah…" Fiona replied slowly as I closed my toolbox, preparing to exit the storage room to set it next to my bed, "You're not going to ask?"

"About what?"

"Your quest. Your journey into the clouds," The Absol huffed, "You're not going to ask what might happen up there? Any disasters that I can sense?"

"Why would I? I won't run away from this ordeal, regardless if I die or not. Me and Erdalla stepped up to the task of requesting Rayquaza to destroy the meteor and we'll see it through no matter what," I replied decisively, "Besides, Erdalla told me something when we went to Uproar Forest a few days ago"

"Oh?"

"She told me to not lose sleep over things I can't control," I explained, "Say something were to happen to us in Rayquaza's domain and you alerted me ahead of time. What could I do to stop it? It's the course of fate and meddling with destiny has its consequences. If I avoid one calamity thanks to you, it'll come to bite me back later. Does that make sense?"

"So what you're saying is that we're bound by our pre-determined fate and there's nothing we can do to change it? All we can do is weather the storm and let fate's winds guide us along, through whatever trouble it wants?" Fiona challenged, "That doesn't seem like a very good way to live"

"Can you blame me, Fiona? I've been thrown into this world of trouble for one purpose: to save it," I shrugged, "My destiny was decided the moment I awoke in Tiny Woods. Now it's time to fulfill it by ascending Rayquaza's domain and ending the disasters"

"I sorely hope you lead a life free of that philosophy after you're finished here," Fiona grit her teeth, "To be locked in fate's cruel tides is a restrictive lifestyle indeed. Branch out. Seek new paths to venture and explore. You aren't meant to be bound to one purpose in life"

"One purpose is exactly what I came here for. That's why I think this way," I growled, getting tired of this conversation already, "Now do you mind? I need to drop this off and get some rest before our departure tomorrow"

"Right, right. I'm sorry for agitating you like that," Fiona apologized, "Just… take my words to heart if you have to leave this world and return to your own"

"... I will. Thank you"

…

Me and Erdalla went to bed early that night, intent to get as much rest as possible before our ascension into the clouds. Erdalla noticed my Detect Band and informed me that it increases my speed in dungeons, letting me evade attacks easier.

"Any boost to survivability is welcome. I can't imagine Rayquaza's home being small," Erdalla tugged on the Heal Ribbon laced around her neck. The royal red and gold was a steep contrast to the ebony black eyepatch she still had over her burned eye. After all this time, it still showed no signs of healing, "If it's a mystery dungeon, it's probably equal to Magma Cavern or even longer. Twenty or more floors at least"

"And I heavily doubt any Secret Bazaar is around to boost us forward," I groaned, "What Pokemon do you think we'll find there?"

"Probably plenty of Flying types, which is fine by me," Erdalla smiled, "And with your Ice Beam and Ancient Power backing me up, this should be a cinch. Discharge handles any Monster House troubles"

"Glad to see you're as confident as ever. Especially after… well…"

"What? Especially after what?"

"After what happened in Magma Cavern. You retelling your experience with Gengar," I replied. Erdalla turned away from me, scolding, "Look, I'm sorry that I brought up some bad memories. I was just curious and you never told me how you survived after the fall"

"Alfrin, lesser Pokemon would be broken after all that humiliation, but not me. I'm using my rage and hatred towards Gengar to fuel my fire," The Pikachu replied softly, although her voice was etched with steel, "For the sake of this mission, I'll still be the strong commander that I need to be. But I don't want you bringing up that incident again, understood? Just forget about it"

I frowned. Something worse must've happened to Erdalla when she encountered Gengar. Was the shame of being beaten and paralyzed from fear so great that she's acting this way?

"... Goodnight, Alfrin. Clear your head and keep it centered on our mission. We'll need it once we depart tomorrow," Erdalla said finally, "Sweet dreams"

"... You too"

We both fell asleep soon after. However, I soon found myself in the dream world again. Gardevoir must have wanted to talk to me.

"Urghh… my stomach…" I grumbled as I sat down, awaiting Gardevoir's arrival. I didn't know where the stomachache came from, but it was excruciatingly painful. Just then, I noticed something was very wrong here, "What… what's going on…?"

The dream world around me was a violent shade of deep purple instead of the calming pink and yellow I was used to. The dark light seemed to wrap around me and I felt like I was suffocating, like the shadows themselves were choking my neck. I couldn't die in the dream, right? So why did this pain feel so real?

"Keh heh heh!" I heard from the empty sky. I turned my head up, recognizing the laughter.

"Gengar! Stop this at-" Suddenly, the nightmare slammed its grip over my neck again, silencing me, "Ghurrkk…"

"Who would've thought that you were the Pokemon sent to destroy the meteor. And a former human, no less," Gengar cackled, "You were probably some nobody in your human life, but whatever. Let's expose your heart with Dream Eater"

I felt my mind being pried open as Gengar feasted on my dream, spilling forth information and secrets that battered my brain. I tried to struggle and protest to escape the specter's gaze, but it was to no avail. Whatever Gengar wanted to do, he was succeeding.

"Mm hmm, this is- Huhh?!" Gengar suddenly jumped, sounding startled, "What… what is that light?!"

A miraculous sparkle of light entered the dream world, shining brightly in the gloomy darkness. As it came down to me, the shadows trapping me seemed to dispel and retreat and I heard the sound of shuffling in the sky. Gengar was leaving. Slowly, the dream world around me turned back to its familiar colours.

"Hello Alfrin. Glad to see you're still in one piece," Gardevoir greeted as she blinked into existence in front of me.

"Gardevoir, what was happening to me? I felt like I was in a nightmare," I replied, still feeling uneasy. When the darkness faded, my stomach ache died, but the quasiness didn't, "Gengar was there"

"Yes… he seemed to have infiltrated your house and tried to gain insight on you with Dream Eater," Gardevoir crossed her arms, "But I chased him off, so you're safe now"

"Thank you," I said. There was a brief pause between us before I spoke up again, "Will you finally tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"About my role. My purpose for coming here. Who I really am," I pressed, "Surely you know all of this, right? You said you brought me here in the first place"

"Oh? Do you not already have all your answers?" Gardevoir smiled, "You yourself figured it out. I brought you to this world as a Pokemon to save this world from the disasters. That's your role"

"Then why erase my memory as a human? Will I even be able to go back to my past life? Can I-" I rambled before Gardevoir silenced me by pressing her finger on my mouth, "Hm?"

"I'll tell you all you need to know. Have patience," She replied soothingly, "Let's start from the beginning, shall we? You hail from a world inhabited entirely by humans and our world is one populated by Pokemon. However, some humans managed to bypass the barrier between our worlds and enter ours"

"Like the human from the Ninetales legend," I said and Gardevoir nodded.

"Exactly. Anyways, foretellers of this world learned that a great apocalypse will strike in the distant future. As such we sought out a hero to prevent the calamity," Gardevoir continued, "We searched and searched, but nobody stepped up. Until we found you, by the border separating our worlds"

"M-me? Why of all people would you ask me? I'm nothing special"

"Ha ha, that's exactly what you said when we first met you as a human. You haven't changed a bit," Gardevoir laughed, "You also proclaimed that you weren't strong, but that wasn't what we were looking for. We wanted a hero who had true courage. The power to be brave in the face of danger and display willingness of sacrifice. That's the mark of a true rescuer"

"Both of those traits are prominent in Erdalla. Why not ask her…?"

"For one, Erdalla wasn't born yet. This was in the past, before all these events occurred," Gardevoir replied, "And there was no one more suited to the job, despite your protests"

"Did you really come up to me and ask me to save the world just like that?" I asked, "Because that sounds pretty insane. I mean, I hope you gave human Alfrin a taste on what's to come at least"

"Oh, we did. You yourself requested that we put you to the test first, just to see if you were worthy of the job," Gardevoir smiled, "You asked specifically to have your human memories erased, be transformed into a Pokemon and live alongside the inhabitants of this world so when the time comes, you can step up as their fateful savior and prove yourself. To be clear and free of mind was what you said"

"I did all of that…?" I could barely comprehend it myself. That I would be so self-sacrificial back in my human days. This Alfrin felt like a completely different person to who I was now. He sounded a lot more like Erdalla.

"Yes. We were quite shocked by your proposal, but it sounded reasonable for your test. Additionally, if you lived here as a Pokemon, you could form bonds and friendships to help combat the disasters with you," Gardevoir continued, "Don't you see, Alfrin? You made your own fate. Nobody is controlling you and you aren't a pawn in another's scheme. You put this upon yourself and it's your duty to finish it. Save this world, Alfrin. You've long since proven yourself worthy"

"Then that's it, isn't it? Destroying the meteor will end the disasters and save this world…" I frowned, "What will happen to me after my role is finished?"

"You will return to your world. Ever since the Ninetales incident, the gods have reinforced the barrier between worlds. You won't be able to come back," Gardevoir replied gravely, "That means… parting ways with your team. And Erdalla"

"Erdalla…" I repeated, my head still spinning over this sudden revelation. If I finish this quest, I'll have to leave this world and all my friends behind. Erdalla especially will be heartbroken. Despite her rough and tough exterior, I knew she loved me wholeheartedly. I believed in her ability to move past the pain, but the fact I caused the turmoil in the first place made me sick.

"There is nothing to be done sadly. You'll have to depart from your friends if you wish to save this world," Gardevoir said gently, gazing at my distraught look, "In life, every encounter comes with a farewell. But the journey between those two plains is what really matters. Your presence and impact on their lives is the lifeblood of every bond you make"

I didn't reply. I still needed to sort out my feelings over having to leave Erdalla and the others. Especially with the Pikachu, our time together felt like my whole life and made my experience as a Pokemon a wonderful time to be. It has only been a few months since I first arrived in Tiny Woods, but they were the best in my life and I didn't want to let it go.

"Every encounter comes with a farewell. But the journey between the two plains is what really matters," Gardevoir's words echoed again in my head. But I didn't want this farewell to come so soon. I wanted to be with Erdalla and the others longer. However, I couldn't simply give up on this task to quell the disasters. Why… why must fate be so cruel?

"Once upon a time, I had a friend I cherished beyond value," Gardevoir sighed, noticing my expression, "But they are long gone now. Even now, their parting fills me with sadness. But I must accept it and move on, lest I forever dwell in the pool of regrets. Even the most powerful Pokemon can't alter the course of history"

"Then I have to be brave. Step forward in the face of danger," I murmured before raising my voice, "I must be ready to sacrifice anything. To keep this world and my friends safe. That's the mark of a true rescuer"

"Exactly. Although you may not be able to return to this world after you leave, you may find your friends again on the other side," Gardevoir's eyes gleamed before grimacing, "Hm?"

"What's wrong?"

"I sensed a presence. Someone was looking into this dream," Gardevoir frowned, "But it seems like they're gone now"

"Was it Gengar?"

"I couldn't see it. Whomever ran off crying however," Gardevoir closed her eyes, a solemn expression marking her beautiful face, "... It will be morning soon"

"Thank you, Gardevoir. For everything," I told the embrace Pokemon, "Will I ever be able to see you again once I go home?"

"... Perhaps. I have devoted my time now as your protector," Gardevoir smiled before fading away, along with the dream world, "Farewell and good luck, Alfrin. I know you will succeed"

"Goodbye… Gardevoir," I murmured before the dream world faded and I opened my eyes, hearing the birdsong outside our window. Morning light streamed in through, bathing our room in warm sunshine. Erdalla was already awake, writing in her journal like usual. I never looked at it thoroughly, but it seemed pretty filled up now. Soon it'll be enough to be its own book.

"Oh good, you're awake. Alakazam told me with telepathy that he'll arrive in a few minutes to transport us to the Hill of the Ancients," Erdalla opened her toolbox and tossed an apple at me, "Eat this and fuel up. Because we're going to be in Rayquaza's domain within the next half hour"

I stared at the apple in my hand and Erdalla's face. Suddenly looking at her made my heart pound. She already suffered so much in this journey and I didn't want to hurt her more by having to leave. But what choice did I have?

"...What? What are you looking at?" Erdalla asked, breaking me out of my thoughts. She stared at me, concerned as she nudged the apple closer to my lips, "Come on, Alfrin. Eat up"

"Erdalla, what would happen if I had to leave this world? Like when Moltres killed me," I asked nervously, "How would you feel?"

"Well… upset, naturally. You're my first real friend and someone who was instrumental to the creation of Team Lazulian," Erdalla gestured all around herself, "None of this would have been possible without your team. If you permanently left this world, I… I wouldn't know what to do with myself. I don't want to lose you, Alfrin. Ever"

I lowered my head, staring at my apple. I didn't know how to respond. Should I tell Erdalla the truth or leave her in the dark?

"Why are you bringing it up?"

"O-oh, uhm… just curious," I lied before biting into my apple, feeling the taste wash across my mouth. In my state however, it felt tasteless.

"Alfrin, you can't lie to me. We're partners, remember? We can trust each other with anything," Erdalla bent down to nuzzle my head, "I bared my heart to you. Why can't you do the same?"

"I…"

"Alfrin and Erdalla, are you ready to leave?" Alakazam called from outside, "Me and Xatu are ready to get you to Sky Tower"

"Let's go. We don't have a moment to waste," Erdalla stood up and grabbed her toolbox, throwing the strap over her shoulder, "We're coming, Alakazam!"

Quickly, I snarfed down my apple and grabbed my toolbox as well, leaving the base with Erdalla. Once we were face to face with Alakazam, he raised his spoon and teleported all of us over to the Hill of the Ancients, where the sun still beamed like sunset. The view over the Great Canyon was just as beautiful as before.

"I hope you are prepared. Xatu is just about to finish the Teleport Gem," Alakazam said gravely as he watched the totem bird Pokemon pulse with green light, magical might surrounding him.

"Kwahhhh!" Xatu cried, his voice echoing over the canyon. A sparkling green light began forming in front of us, condensing into the shape of a small gem. With one flick of his magically-imbued wing, it solidified, "It is done. The Teleport Gem. The artifact that will bring you to the world above the clouds. Now then, accept!"

Erdalla took the Teleport Gem out of the air, holding it in the palm of her hand. It was light green and looked relatively simple, yet in its reflection, I saw a towering citadel of clouds in the blue sky.

"It was made with the power of powerful psychics. Me, Alakazam and…" Xatu frowned, looking around himself, "Oh, looks like they left. A Ghost type Pokemon aided us with its creation as well"

"Wonder who it could be," I wondered aloud and Alakazam laughed.

"Must be the bashful type. Let's let them be," Alakazam's voice turned serious, "Now then, I'll ask you one last time. This journey will be fraught with unfamiliar and incredible danger. Are you sure you want to go?"

"Of course. Who else can ask Rayquaza to destroy that meteor?" Erdalla challenged, "No matter what stands in our way, we won't back down. Right Alfrin?"

"... Yes. Of course!" I replied valiantly, although my heart still burned over my conversation with Gardevoir.

"Then it sounds like you're prepared," Alakazam nodded, "Squeeze the gem to get you to Sky Tower. Best of luck. We're all counting on you"

"This will be done before you know it. You have my word," Erdalla turned towards me, her eye burning with determination and bravery, unflinching to everything in the world. I needed to be like her, just until we reached Rayquaza. If she could suffer so much and still stand tall, I could handle my turmoil too, "Alfrin, let's do this!"

"Yes!" I nodded and I got close as the Pikachu squeezed the gem in her palm, generating a field of green light underneath our feet. Instantly, the light wrapped around us in a pillar and whisked us off far into the sky.

…

Less than a moment later, we reappeared at the entrance to what looked like a mystery dungeon. Everywhere from the floor to the walls was made from fluffy clouds. Looking down from the ledge next to us, I could see the entire world in our expanse. So many Pokemon relying on us to succeed today.

"Here we are, Alfrin. Sky Tower," Erdalla pointed upwards. I followed her gaze and gasped. Right in the center of the city in the sky was a tower stretching into the very heavens themselves. It seemed to be constructed of clouds, but looked like a tornado from where we were, "Rayquaza must be at the top. Let's move, for Team Lazulian and everyone down below"

"Yes. Our final adventure together. Just me and you, Erdalla," I nodded decisively and we entered the mystery dungeon. Immediately once we were in, a massive gale sliced through us, whirling around the dungeon.

"Damn! I should have expected this. These strong winds won't make it easy to get through here!" Erdalla groaned as she shielded herself against the strong breezes, "We can't afford to waste time around the floors. How many Luminous Orbs did you bring, Alfrin?"

"Uhm, I brought three. Should I have taken more?" I asked as I opened my toolbox, careful to not let the contents fly away in the winds, "How many did you bring?"

"Six, along with a good handful of Pure Seeds. Our goal is to reach Rayquaza as quick as possible," Erdalla pulled out a Luminous Orb and two Weather Bands, "Howard was good to prepare these"

"What do they do?" I asked as I took off my Detect Band, replacing it with the blue and gold scarf. Suddenly, the winds died around me, "Huh"

"Yeah, it nullifies the effects of weather on the user. Handy," Erdalla shattered the Luminous Orb on the ground, summoning a vision of the entire dungeon layout, "Anyways, the stairs are over here. Let's move"

Despite what we initially thought, Sky Tower was jam packed with wild Pokemon. Stranger still was that most weren't even Flying type. Many of them didn't belong in the skies.

"Hiya!" Erdalla flurry-punched a Scizor with Thunder Punch before throwing a storm of bolts at an incoming Duskull, "Watch out, Alfrin! Some of these Pokemon come out of the walls!"

"I could tell!" I called back as I fought off a Dusclops and Shedinja that emerged from the walls. Dusclops was easy enough to handle, with me pressuring it constantly with Surf and Mud Shot. But Shedinja was a whole other matter, "How do you kill this thing?!"

No matter what attacks I threw at it, all of them passed harmlessly through the ghostly shell. Before I could react, the Shedinja lunged with X-Scissor before following up with Shadow Sneak, battering me hard.

"Alfrin, behind me!" Erdalla pushed herself in front of me, shielding me from the Shedinja's incoming Faint Attack. The Pikachu blasted it full on with lightning, but it had no effect, "Curses!"

"Ancient Power!" I shouted in desperation, tossing a volley of rocks towards the Shedinja. The instant it made contact with the bug, it disintegrated into ashes, "...Oh"

"A bug immune to everything that's not super effective. Interesting," Erdalla muttered as she glanced at her Luminous Orb vision again. The wild Pokemon came in small packs, but they were ferocious. I could scarcely imagine having to fend off a Monster House of them, "Follow me. Keep your wits about you"

"Where did you learn those moves?" I asked as we moved through the fluffy dungeon hallways. I expected breathing to be harder up here, but it didn't seem to be the case thankfully, "You're fighting more like Howard now"

"That's because he taught me. I got in some martial arts practice while we were waiting for Blastoise's team to return," Erdalla replied with a hint of pride, "More diversity in your fighting style is always a good thing"

"True," I nodded before hearing a loud, dinosaur-like screech from the air, "What was that?"

"Aerodactyl. Absolute terrors of the skies," Erdalla glanced up, firing a Thunderbolt at the vicious, rock-clad bird. It swiftly dodged and began swooping down to us, calling Rock Slide, "Always so damn annoying to fight. Avoid this!"

Firing electricity in a shockwave around her body, Erdalla's Shock Wave slammed into Aerodactyl and sent it crashing down. However, that alerted more fliers in the area, including Altarias, Flygons and Tropius. I was about to launch my Ice Beam to combat it when Erdalla stopped me.

"Don't bother. We're at the stairs," Erdalla rushed to the stairs up ahead, ascending to the next floor with me following, "In case we have to fight Rayquaza, we should conserve power points. Your Ice Beam in particular"

"Fair," I nodded before noticing a cluster of Dusclops moving towards us, "I got this one!"

Launching a potent tide with Surf, I swept the three Dusclops off their feet before burying them in Ancient Power. Instantly however, I felt a gut-wrenching hunger feeling. That was weird.

"Urkk… hungry already. How in the world…?" I grumbled as I dug out an apple from my toolbox, munching on it quickly, "These Pokemon aren't normal"

"It must be an ability of those Dusclops," Erdalla frowned, "And I wouldn't call them abnormal. They're just things we haven't seen before"

"Still weird," I decided and Erdalla sighed.

"Stick together and we can handle anything," Erdalla turned her attention back to the Luminous Orb vision before growling in frustration, "Damn, this thing only lasted three floors. Not a good sign"

"You have six," I pointed out.

"You can never be too prepared," Erdalla summoned another vision as she fried a Shuppet and Masquerain, "Come along, stairs are over here"

And so we continued through the dungeon, weathering the storm that was the wild Pokemon. Occasionally we would face trouble with Masquerain and Venomoth's Silver Winds slashing us from far away and Aerodactyl's deadly Rock Slide nearly devastating us both, but it was nothing we couldn't handle. Monster Houses were but a Discharge away from being a nuisance.

"I'm really glad you're the one accompanying me here. If it weren't for your talents, I don't think this'll be as easy as it is," I complimented the Pikachu. We made it to the twenty-fifth floor with alarming speed thanks to all the tools we had. From what I could tell, we were close to the crown jewel of Sky Tower, with the continent of white clouds far below us.

"Yeah well, don't get too comfortable. I'm sure there are plenty of surprises waiting for us soon, not to mention Rayquaza himself," Erdalla said cautiously, "You saw how the legendary birds and Groudon were affected by the disasters. Who can say Rayquaza isn't the same?"

"Can disasters even occur up here? You saw how the Flygon's Earthquake was useless thanks to these clouds," I wondered aloud, tapping my foot against the floor, "What could possibly make Rayquaza go mad?"

"Who knows? Maybe it's the same force that's creating all these disasters down here," Erdalla chewed her lip, "Something devious is at work. A meteor doesn't do these things just like that"

"Let's focus on the meteor first. One issue at a time"

"Right," Erdalla raised her hand to Thunderbolt a Tropius before my Ice Beam collided with it, taking it out instantly, "Thanks for that"

"Yeah, those Tropius are trouble. Always casting Sunny Day for their Solarbeams," I chewed my lip, "Speaking of weather, it's super eccentric here, isn't it?"

"Indeed. We've seen harsh sunlight, rain and even hail here. Never dealt with the last one before," Erdalla remarked before tugging on her Weather Band, "Good thing these things protect us"

"How do these weather conditions even happen if Sky Tower is abov-"

"Don't question it, Alfrin," Erdalla replied sternly, "Up ahead are the stairs. We should be reaching the top soon"

With that, we ascended to the Sky Tower Summit…

 _Our team:_

 _\- Alfrin, Mudkip - Chosen Savior_

 _Level 39_

 _Abilities: Torrent_

 _Moves: Surf, Ice Beam, Ancient Power and Mud Shot_

 _\- Erdalla, Pikachu - Final Guardian_

 _Level 40_

 _Abilities: Lightning Rod and Static_

 _Moves: Thunder Punch, Thunderbolt, Quick Attack and Thunder Wave_


	23. Finale: Fateful Savior

PMD: Fateful Saviors

Finale: Fateful Savior

"Damn, these Pokemon pack a punch!" Erdalla growled as she dueled fists with a mighty Metagross. The Metagross's Meteor Mashes might be resisted by Erdalla, but she still took a beating. And her Thunder Punches weren't doing a whole lot back, "Grr, away with you!"

Slamming an X-Eye Seed into the Metagross's face, it stumbled around blind before I took it down with Mud Shot, freeing Erdalla up to support with Thunder Wave. The Pikachu wasn't kidding with the tower growing harder as we ascended it. Now we were facing down hordes of powerful dragons and Ground types immune to Erdalla's attacks.

"Focus your Ice Beam on the Salamence and Flygon! They're the biggest threats here!" Erdalla stood back to back with me as enemies closed in, "I'll handle the rest. HaAAA!"

A loud crackle of thunder roared across the space above us and a great thunderbolt struck the incoming Metagross and Aerodactyl approaching us, frying the latter to ash. I shot down as many dragons and Claydols as I could with Ice Beam, but they were quickly overwhelming me. One Salamence even fired Flamethrower to nullify my Ice Beam.

"Duck!" I pushed Erdalla to the ground to avoid the plume of fire, letting it roast an incoming Metagross. However, that let a Flygon come in and rake its claws across my body with Dragon Claw, bringing me to the ground, "Gah!"

"Damn, we can't go on like this!" Erdalla produced a Foe Stun Orb out of her toolbox, "Stand aside!"

Shattering the orb, it erupted in a great blinding flash, paralyzing all the nearby enemy Pokemon in their tracks.

"It's over!" Erdalla shouted and slammed her hand on the ground, bursting in a dazzling flare of Discharge, burning away all the Pokemon except for the Ground types, "Now Alfrin!"

"Take this!" I spat my Ice Beam at the remnants of the Monster House, killing them all. I panted, feeling the burning wounds on my chest sting with every breath. I needed an Oran Berry.

"Seven floors of this craziness. It's incredible we survived," Erdalla breathed, sounding winded, "Surely we're close to Rayquaza now"

"Hopefully so," I replied as I ate an Oran Berry, healing the injuries on my chest, "I just had a thought, Erdalla"

"Oh?"

"If we were to persuade Rayquaza to destroy the meteor, how can we get off here? The Teleport Gem disappeared after we arrived," I said, "We can't just hitch a ride on Rayquaza, right?"

"I guess it would be above his dignity to do that. Plus, if he destroyed the meteor so close to us, we might get caught in the aftermath," Erdalla gritted her teeth as we sat down next to the dungeon wall to rest, "We might even die thanks to that"

"No point in turning back though"

"Absolutely. We're already here, so we're going to see it though, regardless if we live or die," Erdalla stood up, "I already lived and suffered long enough. I wouldn't mind sleeping for eternity"

"Hey now, let's think optimistically. We're getting back to our friends, right? The team still needs their leader after all," I smiled, trying to lift morale, "And you're still young. Plenty of life to experience still"

"Heh. Tell that to yourself. Your life is nearing its end," Erdalla said dryly and I stepped back in shock.

"... What? What did you say?"

"Do you think I don't know? You were originally human and were transformed into a Pokemon to save the world," The Pikachu explained, "After your quest here is finished, you'll be returning back to the human world, right? That's the logical course of action"

"I…" I was speechless. I didn't tell Erdalla anything about my conversation with Gardevoir and she figured it all out by herself, "Yes… that's right. After the meteor is destroyed, I'm going back to the human world. Gardevoir said so"

"Is there really no chance of you staying here as a Pokemon?"

"Not that I know of. I can't stay because I wasn't originally from here," I replied sadly, "That means leaving behind everyone in the square, Team Lazulian and… you"

Erdalla didn't say a word, although I noticed a small sparkle of tears in her one good eye. However, that was quickly wiped away and she stood up.

"We rested long enough. Let's move before more wild Pokemon find us," The Pikachu said flatly and we ascended the nearby stairs to the next floor. However, instead of a dungeon layout, it was a singular room with two massive doors up ahead constructed out of clouds.

"This must be it. The top of Sky Tower. Rayquaza's domain," Erdalla turned to me, "Are you ready, Alfrin? Be prepared for a fight if necessary"

"... I'm ready. Let's finish this," I nodded as I downed a Max Elixir, restoring all my power points. Erdalla did the same and we approached the doors. Swinging them open, I heard the winds howling as we entered an open-air platform made of a stormcloud. All around us was empty sky and space, with no Rayquaza in sight.

"Well… here we are. The top floor," Erdalla glanced up in the endless space above, where a shining yellow star was burning in the distance. It seemed to be hurtling towards us, "There's the meteor. But where is-"

"Who goes there?! Who dares trespass onto the sky god's airspace?!" A godly, booming voice resounded through the air. It was loud and clear, despite the raging winds, "This is my domain. Depart at once!"

"Wait! We came here to request your help!" Erdalla cried, "We need you to-"

"Never! A god doesn't help worthless mortals like you!" Rayquaza cried before descending out of the empty space itself, roaring loud and proud as it landed in front of us. His emerald green serpentine form was lined with rings of gold and he oozed of ozone, "I am a being of the sky and you are but denizens of the ground. To each there are worlds of their own!"

"You don't understand! The meteor is-" I protested, but Rayquaza cut me off.

"For hundreds of millions of years, I have never descended to the ground," Rayquaza continued. Thunder began roaring across the various clouds around us, "And the opposite should hold true!"

"Yes, we understand, but-"

"ENOUGH! There will be no mercy for those who defy the laws of nature!" Rayquaza roared, "Prepare for the end! Delta Stream, COME FORTH!"

"Here he comes, Alfrin! Prepare for battle!" Erdalla cried as an absolute monsoon of grey winds buffeted the battlefield, cloaking the area in a dusty tornado. Rayquaza acted first by swiping his claws downwards towards us with Dragon Claw, forcing us backwards. Erdalla countered with Thunder Wave, intent to slow down the powerful legendary while I shot Ice Beam, but Rayquaza evaded both easily.

"The Delta Stream protects me! Just how much can you handle?!" Rayquaza whipped around in the sky in a vigorous routine with Dragon Dance, augmenting his power and speed, "Try this!"

Moving at the speed of light, Rayquaza lunged downwards with Extreme Speed, battering Erdalla to the ground. Before I could even react, Rayquaza's tail met my face and I crumbled to the ground too, barely able to stand. How could we even stand up to such power?

"Ghurkk… strike me again! You were too weak to finish me the first time!" Erdalla stood up as she ate an Oran Berry, healing her wounds, "Come on, Rayquaza. Attack me again!"

"Erdalla…! What are you doing?!" I groaned as I struggled to open my toolbox. The Delta Stream's extreme winds made everything harder.

"Hm, I don't know what your game is, but you're a defiant one. Very well!" Rayquaza whipped down and ripped Erdalla's chest open with Dragon Claw. Yet again, she lived and restored herself with an Oran Berry, "Hm? Enough with this foolishness!

"This is no game. We're intruders of the ground and you're the lord of the sky. You can kill me for my crimes," Erdalla glared at Rayquaza, "So why aren't you? Strike me again!"

"Grr… don't taunt me!" Rayquaza surrounded himself with an array of swords with Swords Dance, boosting his power even more, "You will die for your transgressions!"

"Then what's the matter? Hit me!" The Pikachu taunted and as quick as lightning, Rayquaza slammed into her with Outage, brutalizing her again and again.

"Come… on…! Just a little more…!" Erdalla growled through gritted teeth as bones broke and blood spilled over and over again as she was devastated against the dungeon wall. It was horrible to watch yet still, she kept a constant flow of healing going to keep herself alive. All for what?, "Gotcha!"

"Huh?!" Rayquaza suddenly fell back, electricity running down his body from head to toe, "What is this?!"

"Static! Now Alfrin!" Erdalla shattered a Rainy Orb on the ground, calling forth a rainstorm that cancelled Rayquaza's Delta Stream, "Ice Beam!"

"No… NO!" Rayquaza tried to move, but paralysis kept him down and my Ice Beam hit him square on, making him roar in agony, "GROOHHHH!"

"THUNDER!" Erdalla yelled, thrusting her bloodsoaked hand into the air. Loud thunder roared across the clouds around us and a massive thunderbolt struck Rayquaza hard, sending him reeling. I followed it up with another Ice Beam, bringing the god down to critical condition.

"GRRORR… THIS… THIS WON'T STOP ME!" Rayquaza roared, shaking off the paralysis before ascending higher into space, surrounding himself with green light, "MY ULTIMATE MOVE! DRAGON ASCENT!"

Transforming himself into a battering ram of green light augmented by Dragon Dance and Swords Dance, Rayquaza rocketed down towards us, threatening to destroy the arena we were standing on and rend our very bodies asunder. Hastily, I put on my Detect Band, preparing to rush back into the dungeon for cover.

"Erdalla! We need to get out of here!" I shouted over the Delta Stream Rayquaza re-summoned, "We can't survive something like this. Come on!"

However, the Pikachu didn't move. Instead, she reached into her toolbox for one final gambit.

"What are you doing?!"

"GRROOOO!" Rayquaza came within throwing distance of us, his very aura making clouds explode around us as Dragon Ascent threatened to careen us down the atmosphere. I locked eyes with Erdalla and prepared to move. She simply flashed me a light smile.

"Checkmate," Erdalla slammed a Stun Seed into Rayquaza's face just as Dragon Ascent reached us, sending the dragon reeling in paralyzed fury, "VOLT TACKLE!"

Surrounding herself in a force field of yellow and black electricity, Erdalla rammed into Rayquaza full force, sundering the legendary in endless electricity. Soaring above Rayquaza in her sphere of lightning, Erdalla yelled a loud cry of fury before slamming him into the cloudy ground in an apocalyptic thunderbolt.

"GRROROOORRR!" Rayquaza roared in agony before collapsing into a smoky heap, unable to fight anymore. When the smoke cleared, I saw the Pikachu stagger away from the carnage before collapsing into me, coughing up blood.

"It's… over… Rayquaza can't fight now…" Erdalla wheezed before falling forward, nearly flattening me. I rolled her over onto her back, searching frantically for an Oran Berry, "Now… we can talk some… sense into him…"

"Erdalla, you… you were incredible," I told the Pikachu, still in awe from her display, "You… you took down Rayquaza by-"

"Shh. You helped too. More than you realize," Erdalla gave me a cracked smile as I fished out an Oran Berry, giving it to the crippled Pikachu, "Without your Ice Beams, we wouldn't have…"

"Don't talk. Just eat this," I fed Erdalla the Oran Berry, healing the wounds and recoil all over her body, "Please, please, stay alive. You still…"

"I still have your offspring inside me. Of course…" Erdalla replied softly, "Funny that I'm fighting like this while technically pregnant. Maybe I should… just retire after this"

"Whatever makes you comfortable. I think you deserve a long rest after this," I helped Erdalla to her feet as Rayquaza rose, still alive.

"Grr… an impressive feat. But not enough to topple me…!" Rayquaza growled. His body was still covered in scars and burns from Erdalla's Volt Tackle and his sway was unsteady, "You will need more… more than that…!"

"Rayquaza, stop! We didn't come here to intrude on your territory!" I shouted as clear as I could, "We came to ask you to-"

Suddenly, a powerful quake rocked the clouds we were on, shaking both me and Erdalla off balance. I fell to the ground, struggling to get my footing.

"W-what?! A quake?" Erdalla was as shocked as I am, "How can that happen?! We're in the clouds!"

"This isn't an earthquake! These are shockwaves!" Rayquaza realized, "Big ones too! Where are they coming from?!"

"The meteor! Look up, Rayquaza!" I screamed and the dragon turned his head upwards, where the star was approaching us faster and faster. I could finally make out the behemoth of the asteroid now. I knew that if it collided with the earth, the impact will be enough to wipe this world off the map.

"What is that?!" Rayquaza cried, shocked.

"It's a shooting star! And it will destroy the world if it continues on its path!" Erdalla shouted, "Please, Lord Rayquaza! Destroy it! Destroy the meteor!"

"I will! But before I do…" Rayquaza stared at us long and hard, "I need to know your resolve. The star is already too close. If I fire my Hyper Beam at this range, the explosion from the meteor will certainly kill you!"

"So what?! We were prepared for that from the start!" I shouted, "Just do it now!"

"Ha! Well said!" Rayquaza opened his mouth, yellow light gathering in the center rapidly. In a short time, the energy sphere grew to be bigger than Rayquaza's head. I felt absolute power rippling off of it, "Take charge of your destiny! HYPER BEAM!"

A massive beam of yellow light shot out of Rayquaza's mouth like a cannon shot, colliding with the gigantic meteor and smashing it through. Still, it continued on its path and wasn't stopping. Rayquaza needed to obliterate it completely.

"More power!" Erdalla screamed and Rayquaza growled in response, amplifying his Hyper Beam to an even bigger red ray. The beam enveloped the entire meteor and just like that, it exploded, sending calamitous shockwaves ripping through the sky. Before I could react, I was blasted off my feet and flying down Sky Tower. Falling out of the sky with the winds whistling beside me, I couldn't even call out for Erdalla before I began to black out.

"I'm dead. This is the end," I told myself as unconsciousness filled my vision, "At least the world… is… safe…"

…

When I awoke, I was in a world of grey. There was nothing around me, just like in the dream world. Yet this had no colour like that or the nightmare. Just an endless world of monochrome grey, nothing to see from any edge of the universe.

" _I'm dead. This is the underworld,"_ I thought to myself. I tried to get up, but I couldn't move my body. I was permanently stuck in this stasis of lying down, " _The star's explosion took me out. Now I'm adrift… as a spirit"_

Suddenly, a purple light warped in beside me. I recognized the shadow that covered my broken corpse: Gengar.

"Keh heh heh! Didn't take much to bring you down, Alfrin. I'm surprised," Gengar cackled. I realized that I couldn't even move my mouth, much less respond, "Now what to do with you…?"

"Oh, I know! I'll drag you into the dark side of hell. You've murdered plenty of Pokemon on your quest. It should suit you," Gengar grinned and grabbed hold of my foot, dragging me with him through the endless gloom and mist. I couldn't move. I couldn't even lift my arms out of this position. All I could do was watch as Gengar took me into the twisted world with him.

"Hm… hmm…" Gengar mumbled before looking around himself, looking puzzled, "Aw, damn it. Took the wrong path"

" _How can there even be a right path here?"_ I wondered, " _There nothing but the same thing in all directions"_

Gengar let go of my leg, stepping forward to look around himself again, "Ugh, this isn't like me. I can't tell which way is which here anymore…"

Gengar then stared down at me, contemplating what to do, "Keh, you know what? Screw this. I'll just ditch you here"

" _What?!"_

"Yep. That's it," Gengar noticed the shock on my face, "Goodbye"

With that, Gengar vanished into a door of shining light up ahead. I tried to raise my head to see where he was going before my vision clouded again.

" _Guess I'm… truly dying now…"_ I thought as inky darkness covered my eyes, " _Erdalla…"_

…

"... lfrin? Erdalla?!" I blinked my eyes open to hear Natalie's voice crying frantically as she rushed between us two, shaking our shoulders, "Come on, please wake up!"

"Be healed by these words…" I heard Erina mutter and a soft golden light washed over both of us with Softboiled, healing the last remains of our injuries, "... This is all I can do"

"You did your best. It's all up to the will of the gods now," I heard Howard say to comfort, "... Grant them mercy please"

"Urkk… ughhh…" Erdalla rose from the ground, unsteady. She took a moment to look at the Pokemon surrounding us before gasping, "We're… we're alive?!"

"By some miracle, yes!" Natalie cheered as she embraced Erdalla tightly, laughing with joy, "We saw the explosion all the way from down here and thought you were a goner!"

"We were goners. Someone… someone saved us," I stood up, my body sore from the effort in Sky Tower, "Gengar did it"

"Gengar?!"

"I hate to admit it, but that seems to be true. He… he dragged me into the light. Back into the world of the living," Erdalla realized, "Why he did that, I don't know but…"

"Why does it matter? You two are alive!" Salazar laughed, doing his best to hug us both. We returned it with equal affection as our teammates swarmed us, laughing and crying with joy. I smiled and closed my eyes, taking it all in and letting happy tears shed. These were my last moments with my beloved team. Before long, I would have to return to the human world.

"Alright, now that you guys are back, let's head home!" Salazar cried, "We've got a party to throw for your victory!"

"BZZT! LET'S DO IT! BZZT!" Zeplin sparked with excitement, "BZZT! I LOVE PARTIES! BZZT!"

"Come on everyone!" Erina tried lifting Erdalla with great difficulty, so Howard did it for her, hoisting Erdalla up in a parade-like carry, "A feast for our saviors!"

"YEAH!"

"Uhh, if you guys don't mind, I'd like to stay here for a little bit. Get my bearings and enjoy the scenery," I asked meekly, "I'll join up with you guys back home later"

"Well… alright. Whatever you need to do, Alfrin," Salazar nodded before glancing at Erdalla, "In the meantime, Erdalla can tell us what happened in Sky Tower"

As my team carried Erdalla off, I sat nearby the cliff edge, overlooking the entire Great Canyon. Only Xatu was nearby, motionless as usual as he stared into the burning sunset. I glanced at him and then stared at myself, wondering when it was my time to leave. I didn't feel like life or essence ebbing away yet.

"Alfrin…" I heard Gardevoir's voice behind me and turned, seeing the beautiful Pokemon flicker like a mirage. Even so, her voice was as clear as ever, "We owe everything to you and your friends. Thanks to you, this world is safe"

"Does… that mean my time here is over?"

"Yes. Your role as a Pokemon is done. Soon you will return to your world," Gardevoir looked aside solemnly, "And now it is time to bid farewell"

Before I could respond, a yellow wisp of light floated off my body and quickly disappeared into the sky. Bit by bit, I felt my essence blowing away in the canyon winds. The time has come.

"Alfrin, I am so sorry for this. For everyone in the square and your team…" Gardevoir began to fade away, "But now is it time to say… goodbye…"

"Gardevoir…" I murmured as she disappeared, leaving me alone with more yellow wisps flying off my body. I looked down at my legs. Piece by piece, my skin and flesh was growing transparent and flying away, never to be seen again. I felt myself getting more anchored, preparing to ascend back home. It was time to… say goodbye…

"Alfrin, what's holding you up?" Erdalla walked up to me and noticed the enigmatic wisps, "... Oh. I was…"

"Hoping I'd stay longer? Yeah, me too," I looked Erdalla right in the eye, making sure to show all the love and affection I had for her. She was truly my world and now I was getting swept off into the winds. If I could get one last look from Erdalla, I wanted her to smile, "But now… my time has come"

"Alfrin…" Erdalla crashed into me with a hug. I felt faint tears rolling down her eyes and onto my back as she let her emotions run free, "I'm going to miss you. You… you made my life so, so wonderful. Words just can't describe how much you mean to me and-"

"Shh, shh, enough of that Erdalla. You don't need to say it," I embraced the Pikachu back, crying myself. I didn't want to go. I didn't want to leave Erdalla and the others behind. I wanted to stay and live. But I couldn't and I had to accept that. Gardevoir said that the journey between the encounter and farewell was the most important and I intended to make this the most wonderful one yet, "Before I go, I just want one more thing…"

"Anything Alfrin. Anything for you," Erdalla whispered.

"Smile for me"

"... What?"

"Smile for me, one last time. I always loved seeing that smile, so filled with gentleness, love and adoration. The side of the stoic commander I want to see," I let go of Erdalla, looking her right in the face. The yellow wisps reached up to my neck now as more and more pieces flew off. I felt myself getting heavier and heavier, "S-smile for me… please…"

"Alfrin…" Erdalla cracked one last smile despite the stream of tears rolling down her cheek.

"Yes… that's the one. That's…" My breath fell short as the last remnants of my essence melted and I felt myself floating into the sky, "The smile I wanted…"

"Alfrin, I'll never… ever forget you…" Erdalla whispered as I felt myself flying higher, "Farewell, my friend. May we meet again… on the other side"

"Goodbye… Erdalla… Thank…" I rose higher into the evening sky, my consciousness ebbing away, "... you for… everything…"

"Alfrin…" Erdalla repeated again before feeling her stomach, "Thank you for everything too…"

…

"Hey Erdalla, what happened to you?" Salazar asked when she went back down the Hill of the Ancients to join up with her team, "And what happened to Alfrin?"

"BZZT! I DON'T SEE HIM ANYMORE. WHERE IS HE? BZZT!" Zeplin asked. Erdalla wouldn't look him in the eye, "ERDALLA? BZZT!"

"Alfrin... passed on. He had to go home, to his own world," Erdalla replied gravely, "He's gone now…"

"Oh Erdalla, I'm so, so sorry…" Erina's mouth shook and tears welled up in her eyes too, "We'll leave you alone if you n-need to mourn…"

"No. I've shed enough tears today. Let's go home," Erdalla replied decisively, "Tomorrow, we begin Team Lazulian anew. It's… what Alfrin would of wanted"

"... Right. Let's go, everyone" Salazar nodded and led the others out of the Hill of the Ancients. Before she joined her team, Erdalla took one last look at the sky, where Alfrin ascended back to the human world in a ball of white light.

"Alfrin, I swear I will carry on Team Lazulian in your stead. I will continue rescuing Pokemon and exploring dungeons. You were the one who made it happen and I will never forget it," Erdalla tapped her stomach again, "And I will raise your legacy to be a rescuer as great as you were. I promise you"

"For you, my fateful savior, I will do anything"


	24. Epilogue: Thunderstorm

PMD: Fateful Saviors

Epilogue: Thunderstorm

Outside of Team Lazulian's base, six years later, a thunderstorm was raging. Lightning and thunder crackled through the stormy sky in a brilliant display of sparks and ambience. To most Pokemon, this would be a frightful time and reminiscence of when Kyogre nearly awoken. Yet to the lone woman inside the base, this couldn't have been a better day to finish her work. A chronicle of the so-called "Meteor Crisis", starting from the day Alfrin awoke inside the Tiny Woods.

"Whomever is reading this, enjoy and keep the world at peace for your own sake. Signed, Erdalla and…" The team leader, now a grown up Raichu sighed as she was about to pen down her dead lover's name. Six years it was since he left this world on the Hill of the Ancients and Erdalla still couldn't erase the image of him fading away, particle by particle and ascending to the sky. His look of absolute adoration and happiness as he asked her to smile again, one more time, just for him. Her heart burned with the memory every time.

"He always loved that smile. The one filled with gentleness, love and adoration. The side of me he always wanted to see," Erdalla repeated the Mudkip's last words as she stroked her pen over the page, slowly writing his name. Without her noticing, a tear rolled down her cheek and splashed against the page, smearing the ink slightly, "Ah, curses"

The Raichu frowned, refusing to fix the mistake. She was already numb with pain and guilt, both from resurfacing the memory of Alfrin and her physical condition. Dropping the pen, Erdalla stared at her hands. They were a map of scars and stitches at this point, wounds that even Erina couldn't permanently fix. Years of fighting after the crisis have left her crippled and unable to rescue or explore dungeons any longer. She couldn't even muster a spark from her drained cheeks.

"Heh, I guess I pushed myself too hard on that day. Look at me now, broken and good for nothing," Erdalla told herself as she picked at one of her battle wounds on the back of her hand, "As I grew, the toll of battle has gotten worse on me. Now Erina can't even fix me up properly. Heh… heh…"

"Mother! Are you feeling alright?" Suddenly, her son's voice rang out from the door and Erdalla turned, seeing the small Pichu bouncing up to her. Erdalla smiled warmly, opening her arms to embrace the Pichu in a hug. She might have been barred from battle, but she could still raise her son. Her and Alfrin's child, "You're crying. What happened?"

"It's nothing, Albert. Don't worry about it," Erdalla replied soothingly as she let the Pichu down, getting off her chair, "What are you doing here anyways? Shouldn't you be playing with your friends and Lowen?"

"They all got scared off by the thunderstorm," Albert huffed, clearly frustrated, "And Lowen said his mom and dad were going to leave town soon"

"... Huh? Howard and Erina are-"

"He's right. We're heading back home now," Howard appeared by the door, with a little Shroomish at his feet. Upon seeing Albert, the Shroomish immediately grinned and the two of them ran into the hallway, playing in the empty team base. That was Lowen, Howard and Erina's son, "The world seems to be stable now, fully free of the disasters. As such, the amount of Pokemon needing to be rescued is down a ton"

"Now it's just the occasional rogue harassing people. Not much cause to be a rescuer anymore," Erina laughed lightly, "Because of that, I don't believe our talents are needed here anymore"

"Very well. I kept you two here far longer than I should have," Erdalla nodded before reaching to her desk, picking up the leather-bound journal, "Take this with you as you go home"

"This is…?"

"A chronicle of the Meteor Crisis, from beginning to end," Erdalla nodded slowly, "Tell the story to as many Pokemon as you can. I want the true events immortalized in history and Alfrin to be remembered"

"Is it really right for us to take your only account of the adventure?"

"Don't worry, Erina. I know it all by heart," Erdalla pressed her hand against her chest, "I can easily write it again"

"Alright well… we accept," Howard took the journal, carefully sliding it into his toolbox, "I guess this is goodbye"

"Yes. Thank you two for everything," Erdalla embraced the two Pokemon tightly, "I know we had our ups and downs, but you two were integral to the success of Team Lazulian. I hope to be able to see you again soon"

"Oh, we will. We'll visit as often as we can," Erina reassured, smiling warmly, "Now that I'm leaving, please monitor your health, Erdalla. You're worse off than you think"

"I know, Erina. I know," Erdalla replied solemnly, "I won't push myself. I promise"

"Then in that case, farewell. We will never forget our time with the team," Howard nodded, making his way towards the door, "Lowen! It's time to go!"

"Aww!" The Shroomish whined as he emerged from an empty bedroom with Albert in tow, "But I don't wanna go! I want to stay with Albert and my friends!"

"We'll be back here before you know it. We just have to return to our roots," Erina replied soothingly, calming down the Shroomish, "Now come on, we should hit the road now"

"Byee Lowen! I'll see you soon!"

"You too, Albert!"

With that, the trio left the base. Albert decided to take a nap to wait out the thunderstorm, leaving Erdalla alone again in her study.

"It always comes back to this, huh…? Me, alone in here," Erdalla remarked as she watched the rainfall from outside her window, "First Fiona and then Salazar and Zeplin… all our friends are returning home"

"Except for me. I'm still here," Natalie said, draping a blanket over Erdalla's body, "You're shivering. Are you sure you're alright, Erdalla?"

"Yeah. Just a little winded from finishing my book," Erdalla replied, smiling down at the hardworking Mawile, "You know, I never had the chance to properly thank you. You've-"

"Prepped all your meals, encouraged you to rest and have generally been taking care of you this whole time," Natalie replied quickly, "Don't worry about it. It's what friends do"

"I must be getting old if my friends take care of me like I'm some senior," Erdalla remarked, pacing the room, "I'm only 26 years old and yet…"

"Let's take a walk in Tiny Woods. That should clear your head," Natalie decided, "You've spent too long inside"

"What about this thunderstorm? Wouldn't you…"

"This isn't about me, Erdalla. This is about you," Natalie insisted, "You said the storm calms you down, right? So we're going outside and getting you some air. Now come on!"

"... Alright. I'm coming," Stepping outside with the energetic Mawile, the duo headed off into Tiny Woods nearby, reveling in the downpour washing the forest in beautiful rain. They made their way to a cliffside overlooking the sea before Erdalla stopped, staring into the distance.

"What is it?" Natalie asked.

"Somewhere out there, another story is beginning. I can feel it," Erdalla replied in almost a whisper, "And mine is coming to an end…"

"Erdalla, don't say that. You still have Albert and me here. That's enough to live, right?" The Mawile shook the Raichu's shoulders, "Come on, you're growing hollow"

"You're right. I feel so empty, yet complete. Like, my life is finally… fading away…"

"Erdalla?"

"Alfrin… I'll see you on the other side, right? Please…"

"ERDALLA!"

…

"She was a true hero. Someone who stepped forward bravely and devoted their life to stopping the disasters," Natalie said hollowly at the funeral a few days later. The thunderstorm didn't stop, but it didn't faze anyone in the crowd. From Team Lazulian to all of Pokemon Square, everyone was mourning, "She was an irreplaceable friend to me. Someone who reached out and brought me into a place where I could find acceptance and a home. Yet the grief from losing her beloved and her battles these past few years finally put her down…"

Nobody spoke up. All of them stared at the coffin that contained Erdalla's body. The body of the most legendary rescuer in history and a true hero. Someone twisted by fate's cruel hand and perished so young.

"Please pay your respects. In memory of both Erdalla, Team Lazulian's leader and Alfrin, her betrothed and co-leader. May their souls rest in peace," Natalie said decisively and stepped down, letting the funeral procession take place. Immediately, the Mawile went over to Albert, sitting against a tree close to the ceremony grounds. He was sobbing into his arms, crying his mother's name over and over again.

"Albert…?'

"Mother… is gone…" The Pichu said slowly, bringing himself to the ground, "Just like that… she's…"

"Albert…" Natalie scooped the Pichu up her arms, hugging him tightly, "It'll be okay. It'll be okay... I'm here for you"

"Mother… why…?" Albert sobbed, "Why, why, why…?"

"I know. I know…" Natalie closed her eyes, finally letting the tears run free. The two stayed the way they were, mourning for the entire procession until finally, the coffin was lowered into the ground.

" _Erdalla, please hear this,"_ Natalie thought to herself as she walked up to Raichu's gravesite, with Albert clutching onto her hand, " _I will not abandon your son. I will raise him to be an explorer and rescuer even better than you were. I will make you proud, my dear irreplaceable friend. It's the least I could do, because you were my savior"_

"M-mother…" Albert sniffled and Natalie tucked his head into her leg, letting him cry freely again.

" _Goodbye, Erdalla. I hope you found Alfrin on the other side,"_ Natalie thought as she stared into the stormy skies, letting the rain fall onto her face, " _Wherever you are, I hope you are happy"_

In the black skies, she saw a lightning bolt streak past once and in that moment, she swore she saw Erdalla watching down on her, with a smile on her face.

"Erdalla, good… bye…" Natalie whispered and a sob built up in her throat again. She led Albert away from the funeral as the greatest rescuer in the world finally laid to rest.

…

My eyes snapped awake as I got up in my bed. I brought my hands up to my face. I was human again. Outside the window of my house was a pleasant snowfall as people and Pokemon alike roamed the streets, carrying many gifts big and small. It was… Christmas now? How long was I out? Was the whole experience a dream?

"It wasn't a dream, Alfrin. Indeed, you saved the world of Pokemon," Gardevoir flickered into existence beside me, surprising me, "And thanks to your efforts, the timeline proceeded as it should and the two worlds merged. Now human and Pokemon co-exist side by side peacefully"

"If that's the case, then-"

"Alfrin! Come down for breakfast!"

"You should answer that. Your human life begins anew," Gardevoir told me, smiling lightly.

"Will I ever be able to see Erdalla and the others again? You said the worlds merged so…"

"Sadly no, that event happened eons after the Meteor Crisis. After many adventures unfolded and the world was saved many times again," Gardevoir winced, "Your friends all passed many years ago…"

"Oh…" I frowned before realizing what that meant, "Wait, does that mean I'm in the future now? Why?"

"We thought it best for you to see the fruits of your labor properly. We pulled in a favor and sent you into the distant future," Gardevoir explained, "In addition, it'll allow you to reunite with your friends, one way or another"

"What do you mean?" I asked, my head spinning.

"It's a silver of a connection, but your friends are still there with you," Gardevoir said soothingly, "Now go, don't keep your mother waiting"

"I don't unde-"

"Alfrin!"

"Coming!" I shouted and Gardevoir faded away. I opened my bedroom door and headed downstairs where my mom was making pancakes in the kitchen for breakfast while my sister played nearby the Christmas tree.

"Thought you'd be down sooner, sleepyhead," My sister teased, "You're getting your first Pokemon today, remember?"

"My first Pokemon…? From who…?" I asked and my sister stared at me like I was stupid.

"Dad obviously! He's on his way home right now!" She exclaimed, "He said he found one that was a descendant of some legendary heroes. Sounds like bull to me but…"

Legendary heroes? No… it couldn't be…

"I'm home everyone!" My dad's voice suddenly boomed from the front door. My sister cried out in joy as she ran into her dad, tackling him in a hug, "Whoa ho! You're excited!"

"Well yeah! I want to see Alfrin's Pokemon! Where is it?" His sister babbled excitingly, "Come on, come on! Where did you hide it?"

"Patience, sweetie. Let's give the man his Pokemon first," My dad approached me, reaching into the folds of his coat to produce a Poke Ball, "Here Alfrin. This is yours"

"This is…?"

"A Mudkip. The breeder told me he's descended from two legendary explorers in ancient times. His name is Alfini," My dad explained, "Funny how his name is almost like yours…"

"Alfini…" I stared into the Mudkip's eyes from the Poke Ball. For the briefest of moments, I saw myself and Erdalla in those eyes, both of them smiling at me, "My Pokemon…"

"Well? Send him out already!" My sister cried and I obliged, tossing the Poke Ball like I would an orb. The Poke Ball clattered and opened, releasing Alfini the Mudkip. It stared at me and yapped happily.

"Take care of that one. He's your partner now," My dad said and I nodded, crushing him in a hug.

"Thanks Dad," I said before thinking to myself, " _Thank you, for reuniting us"_

Playing with my own descendant was weird and my heart still aches over Erdalla, but I was happy knowing even the slightest connection was still there between me and her. Even when we were worlds apart, we were still together, in one way or another.

"It's you and me now, Alfini," I whispered to the Mudkip, "Let's start this life anew"

 **I'm so sorry for having two sad deaths back to back. I myself was sobbing like nuts when I wrote it and I just couldn't stop. In any case, thank you all for being on the long journey with me through PMD1's story. I am aware that there is postgame story content, but I haven't done it yet, so that will be covered in a separate story (Similar to The Sky Chronicles. The Rescue Chronicles?). I want to thank Otatumode, Damariobros and Duplecian in particular for their frequent reviews on this story. You all motivated me to keep this going and I'm so glad it paid off. Coming up next (once I finish it) is a Super Mystery Dungeon novelization: Dawn of Life! I hope to see you all there! Until then!**


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